President Mokgweetsi Masisi said the opening of new silos in Pandamatenga in northern Botswana presents a unique opportunity for Botswana to expand its grain value chains and produce breakfast cereals, confectionery, cooking oil, beauty products, and livestock feeds and many more.
President Masisi was speaking at Pandamatenga last week at the official launch of the new silos, which are intended to boost the agricultural storage capacity.
He said opening new silos in Pandamatenga in northern Botswana will help sustain the country’s nascent agricultural sector and enhance food security.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi told attendants at the recent launch of the Pandematenga Silos Project that it will fortify the nation’s agricultural infrastructure, contributing to long term stability.
The new project expands grain storage capacity by 60,000 metric tonnes to a total of 90,000 metric tonnes and address critical storage deficiencies and help preserve grains in optimal conditions.
The project is a result of a collaboration between the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) and the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB). It represents a major advancement in Botswana’s efforts to ensure food security.
The silos are expected to bring a number of benefits that will profoundly impact Botswana’s agricultural sector and the broader economy, at the core of which is food security, value chain development as well as employment creation.
“This stability is crucial in shielding our population from the unpredictable impacts of climate change and global market fluctuations,” President Masisi said, adding further that the modern grain storage facilities will enhance both the efficacy and efficiency of grain management.
“This presents a unique opportunity for us to expand our grain value chains and produce breakfast cereals, confectionery, cooking oil, beauty products, and livestock feeds, just to mention a few,” the President said.
Masisi further pointed out that the silos will positively impact the establishment of a multi commodities exchange platform which will facilitate economic growth by reducing information asymmetries and eliminating intermediaries through easy dissemination of market prices.
“This multi commodities exchange platform is essentially an organised marketplace where buyers and sellers come together to trade. This will remedy our informal market structures, remove barriers to integration, and upgrade value chains,” he explained.
The improved storage will further facilitate growth in local agribusinesses and food processing industries, stimulate regional economic activity and support sustainable livelihoods.
Masisi praised the collaborative efforts between SEZA and BAMB in advancing the country’s agricultural infrastructure.
“The launch of these silos is a significant milestone in our journey towards sustainable agricultural development and food security. This project underscores our commitment to ensuring a stable and resilient food supply for all Batswana,” he said.
He encouraged citizens to harness the opportunities presented by these smart silos to build a resilient and thriving agricultural sector for generations to come. Botswana remains a net importer of food mostly from South Africa, according to data from Statistics Botswana. Agriculture contributes less then three percent to the national output according to available statisitcs on sector contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.
