At independence, the country relied heavily on subsistence farming to feed the greater part of the population of somewhere around 350,000 citizens. The farmers struggled against the constraining obstacles of lack of reliable rainfall to inspire an export oriented agricultural sector. It made good logic that the government encouraged 'agricultural shows'. The exhibitions showcased some of the spectacular work of farmers in cattle-rearing and in the production of good mabele, ditloo, dinawa, ntshe, mmidi, magapu and other agricultural products. In addition, there were entertaining sports events such as horse-racing, track events and football. Regrettably, cultural artefacts were hardly considered in the mainstream of the goods that could bring economic prosperity to the country. So, they were hardly ever there. The shows evolved, perhaps inspired by developments in the region, towards the establishment of the Gaborone International Fair. Even then, it was not certain exactly what the fair aimed to achieve, although national intuitions suggested that this event was intended to introduce the world to the indigenous products of the newly independent country. The fair deteriorated into a West African styled market for the sale of foreign goods - toys, clothes and electrical gadgets - doing very little to inspire the local manufacturer and creators. The country, as a result, is now landed with a 'consumer fair'; an admission that Batswana are incapable of manufacturing and doing broad-based enterprise to add value to the larger economy.
Worse still, the prize-giving ceremony, the government departments and parallel parastatals dominated much to the regret of the small business owners. That will not do much to inspire small businesses, which in all successful economies, employ the largest number of people. Cynically, much of that type of business in Botswana is categorised as 'the informal sector'. The prizes and visibility at the consumer fair were not equal to the pledge of government to promote small and middle level commercial initiatives. Even more astonishing was the stationing of political parties at the fair. For what purpose? Surely, the fair should encourage entrepreneurship, particularly at the small and medium scales, shunning political parties, which already have visibility at the district councils, Parliament and the freedom squares. The Ministry of Trade must do justice to the small business people, and the consumers.
