NDB supports Chobe Agric show
Staff Writer | Monday August 24, 2015 15:22
The region includes the Pandamatenga farmers, the largest commercial farmers in Botswana. This cropping season, the Pandamatenga commercial farmers ploughed 31,559 ha with total harvest estimate of 30,000 metric tons, which represents 10 percent of the national cereal requirements
For NDB, supporting the Chobe Agric show came naturally as the bank has over the years financed majority of commercial farmers in the Chobe region as part of its mandate to boost arable farming towards sustenance of food security in the country.
The three day well profiled event attracted 87 exhibitors, a substantial growth from last year’s 75 exhibitors.
NDB’s P150,000 support comes as part of the agreement signed with the Chobe Agriculture Association during the 2014 Chobe Agricultural Show.
When presenting the sponsorship during the official opening the NDB CEO Lorato Morapedi said they appreciate the value that the show adds to the farming community both within Chobe region and the Nation across.
“Networking and benchmarking is integral to any business. That is why we continue to invest in farmers’ gatherings.”
Her sentiments followed a cocktail dinner which the Bank hosted for farmers to give its clients an opportunity to network and share concerns with the Bank. Morapedi further said that though NDB is billed for privatisation and commercialisation, the support and appetite for the agricultural sector is unquestionable and unwavering.
Morapedi further said that the bank would do its best to ensure that the support for agricultural sector will be considered during the privatisation and commercialisation of the bank.
For his part, the Chairperson of the Pandamatenga farmers Association Jac-Johan van der Westhuizen thanked NDB for the steadfast support in providing financial products that benefits members of the association and the farming community at large.