Bank Gaborone powers climate-resilient agribusiness
Larona Makhaiza | Monday December 22, 2025 06:00
The impact of this partnership was highlighted during Bank Gaborone’s second Kgwebo Connect dialogue series, held under the theme 'Empowering the Everyday Entrepreneur: Building Resilient Business'.
During the session, Bank Gaborone leadership engaged in an in-depth conversation with Kwenantle Farms Founder and Managing Director Lembi Tlhalerwa, who shared her entrepreneurial journey and the role the Bank has played in sustaining and growing her enterprise.
Founded in 2016, Kwenantle Farms began unexpectedly when Tlhalerwa seized an opportunity to venture into agriculture, an industry she candidly admits was never part of her original career plan. Nearly a decade later, the business has grown into one of the country’s notable farming operations, supplying various regions with essential agricultural products, including lucerne.
Tlhalerwa noted that climate change remains one of the most pressing threats facing modern-day farmers, significantly disrupting forecasting, production cycles, and long-term planning.
“Climate uncertainty gives farmers sleepless nights. It plays havoc with production planning and financial stability,” she said.
She credited Bank Gaborone with helping keep her business afloat during particularly challenging periods.
“Having a bank that truly understands the realities of agriculture makes it easier to have difficult conversations, whether around cash-flow support, restructuring facilities, or positioning the business for long-term growth,” Tlhalerwa explained.
Beyond financial restructuring, she emphasised that the partnership with Bank Gaborone has enabled Kwenantle Farms to invest in modern farming practices, strengthening operational efficiency and long-term resilience.
Reinforcing this relationship-driven approach, Bank Gaborone’s Senior Relationship Manager for Agribusiness, Bernard Rakgamanyane, said the bank’s agribusiness strategy is anchored in gaining a deep, practical understanding of each client’s operations.
“Agriculture is diverse and capital-intensive. You cannot offer the right solutions without understanding what is happening on the ground,” Rakgamanyane said, noting that site visits are a critical part of the bank’s engagement process.
He further acknowledged that farmers are currently operating in a particularly challenging environment, characterised by high interest rates, exchange-rate volatility, and rising input costs, many of which are sourced from neighbouring countries.
Despite these pressures, Rakgamanyane reassured farmers that Bank Gaborone remains committed to supporting entrepreneurs through targeted interventions.
“The bank offers relief measures such as moratoriums, facility restructuring, and value-chain financing to cushion clients during difficult times. “We do not want to see our clients’ businesses fail. “Our role is to support them, so they remain sustainable,” he emphasised.
In addition, Bank Gaborone continues to offer financing solutions for smart farming technologies, machinery, storage infrastructure, and logistics, ensuring farmers remain competitive across the entire value chain, from production to market.
As small and medium-sized enterprises continue to face mounting economic and climate-related challenges, the Kgwebo Connect dialogue underscored the growing importance of relationship-based banking where financial institutions partner closely with entrepreneurs to build resilience, sustainability, and long-term growth.