Minister Mohwasa Urges Strategic Partnerships to Sustain Gains from Botswana’s Vegetable Import Ban

Minister Mohwasa Urges Strategic Partnerships to Sustain Gains from Botswana’s Vegetable Import Ban. At a recent high-level policy dialogue hosted by BIDPA, NARDI, and BUAN, Honourable Moeti C. Mohwasa, Minister for State President, underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in driving Botswana’s economic transformation—particularly through agriculture and agri-business.

Themed “Rethinking Botswana’s Vegetable Import Ban and Its Implications for Food Security,” the dialogue evaluated the outcomes of the 2021 import ban and its relevance to the country’s broader food security and diversification goals.

Minister Mohwasa highlighted that since the implementation of the import restriction, Botswana has witnessed a notable increase in local vegetable production, job creation, particularly among youth and women, and enhanced market access for farmers. He also cited reduced foreign currency expenditure and stronger national food sovereignty as key policy achievements.

Framing horticulture as a high-potential but underdeveloped sector, the Minister urged entrepreneurs and private stakeholders to look beyond production and explore opportunities in value addition, agri-manufacturing, tourism, and logistics.

“To sustain these gains, Botswana must invest more in research, skills training, infrastructure, and innovation,” Mohwasa noted, calling for tighter integration between academia, government, farmers, and the private sector. He emphasised that cross-sector collaboration is critical in building a resilient and inclusive agricultural economy.

For Botswana’s entrepreneurs and SMEs, the message was clear: opportunities are emerging across the horticultural value chain—from input supply to agro-processing, packaging, distribution, and export.