Chobe enterpreneurs urged to think outside agriculture
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Friday March 29, 2019 14:22
Shamukuni was giving a keynote address during the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), engagement day recently. The event was intended to review and boost the relationship between CEDA and entrepreneurs in the Chobe district.
According to CEDA, out of P415 million business loans issued by the parastatal in the Chobe region, P271 million was invested in the agricultural sector. CEDA statistics show that P21.2 million was in the tourism sector and the rest of the funds were divided into property, manufacturing and others.
In his address, Shamukuni noted that the Chobe district has 354 registered enterprises, which are mainly in agriculture and tourism. He said these entities translate into only 1.9 percent of the country’s registered enterprises. “You should think about investing in other sectors in order to help diversify the economy of the district and by extension the country,” Shamukuni said.
“Entrepreneurs should consider venturing into manufacturing of hotel cosmetics among others as they are in demand in this area because of the boom of the hospitality industry. “Tap into businesses such as those of fodder production, agro-processing and fish farming. There is a market for such businesses in the region and throughout the country. “This will also create employment for residents in your area.”
In his address, CEDA CEO, Thabo Thamani, encouraged Chobe residents to take advantage of business opportunities in the manufacturing sector to produce everyday consumables such as toothpaste and tomato sauce for the area and the country as a whole.
The CEDA engagement calendar started last year in Pandamatenga, followed by Kazungula. The engagement will next move to Parakarungu.