It is a low-key event, compared to say the multitude of corporate functions hosted in the city. Of course not one of those more glamorous events could ever be hosted without the involvement of agriculture -from the breakfast to the sumptuous lunch and the wine drunk in swanky cocktail nights. This little scenario elaborates how vital the agricultural sector is to the very existence of any nation. However, the fact that the Agriculture Show will pass without much fanfare also underlines how we as a nation have condemned this important sector to the backseat. Of course this is an ill-advised approach from the leadership of this country and the citizenry in general.
But agriculture plays an important role in our society. The majority of our people would still be wallowing in abject poverty if it was not for farming. Commercial farming may reduce our foreign food bill but subsistence farming sustains poor families. It is for this reason that we take this opportunity to pay tribute to commercial and subsistence farmers in Botswana. We think it is encouraging that at least in recent times, our young people have started to take farming seriously and are pursuing it as a viable business option. We want to pay tribute to the Ministry of Agriculture which has fought for a wholesale reorientation of the government to view agriculture as a major sector in our economic development. We think that change in philosophy has resulted in a major shift in the way government handles agriculture financing. This has led to many people joining the agricultural sector. We only hope this new enthusiasm will result, in a few years' time, into tangible results in both agricultural produce and our self-sufficiency in food production. This will be a big credit to those who plough the soil and tend the fields; and those who traverse the country herding livestock. Take this time to reflect on your vital role in our society. We salute you this week.
