BITC redoubles efforts to guide exporters
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday January 23, 2024 06:00
Through its Botswana Export Development Programme (BEDP), which was launched in 2013, the government’s investment arm has provided various interventions to companies to help them reach export readiness.
The programme empowers local businesses to be in a position to export to foreign markets, and to date about 117 companies have been subjected to diagnostic assessment to gauge their export readiness status. BITC Executive Director Brand Management, Kutlo Moagi, said they have implemented several export readiness capacity building programmes. Some of the initiatives include collaboration with the University of Botswana, a partnership aimed at offering export development short courses. The courses cover modules in export marketing, export financing and export logistics.
“Through the UB collaboration, we have trained 36 companies in the areas of export marketing, export financing and export logistics,” she said. Under the BEDP, BITC has also collaborated with the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) and Companies and Intellectual Property Authority in conducting a national outreach programme to develop awareness about the importance of exporting. “BITC continues to undertake export awareness workshops countrywide in collaboration with LEA to sensitise both potential and existing exporters about the important and practical aspects of export trade,” Moagi added.
In addition, BITC has forged collaboration with Senior Expert Services (SES) of Germany to provide tailor-made interventions to companies enrolled in the BEDP. According to Moagi, the interventions offered to local SMMEs so far include support in product development and re-engineering of production processes. “Under BEDP, seven companies were assisted with compliance to the United States Federal Drug Administration requirements in preparation for entry into that market. “Two companies were assisted with organic certification and eight companies have received various capacity building interventions from SES,” she said.
Furthermore, Moagi said companies are also being assisted to access the local market by supplying designated retailers who include Choppies, Square Mart, Sefalana, Cash Bazaar and Clicks amongst others. BEDP was established to provide an opportunity for companies to be capacitated and trained to eventually achieve their market expansion objectives and break through into foreign markets.
Targeted industries include textiles and garments, leather and leather products, chemicals, glass and glass products, services, furniture, meat and meat processing, arts and culture and jewellery making. In an endeavour to grow an export-led economy, BEDP was revised through the assistance of the UNDP and was officially launched in October 27, 2020. BEDP is working towards an adaptive and diversified economy that is characterised by initiatives that promote exports, diversify exports and promote the growth of non-diamond goods and services to ensure sustained GDP growth, balance of payments stability and employment creation.