The manufacturing industry: An integral cogwheel in Botswana’s future
Friday, August 02, 2024 | 3380 Views |
Coming up: The country’s manufacturing sector has been growing in fits and starts over the years PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
According to the World Bank, Botswana's manufacturing sector contributed approximately 5.6% to the country's GDP in 2023 and remains modest due to a limited domestic market and heavy reliance on imported supplies. The Botswana government has however implemented several initiatives to stimulate growth in manufacturing sector and enhance competitiveness.
The Industrialization policy coupled with the Economic Diversification Drive focus on diversifying the economy away from mining dependence and includes measures to support the manufacturing sector. There are various training and capacity building interventions such as the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum, which supports many an Industry including manufacturing.
That sounds like good news. But the report also warns that this may simply be because our digital economy is still young, not because we are safe. As more people shop, bank and pay online, criminals will follow.We Batswana do not need a report to tell us that danger is real. Many of us have heard of or fallen victim to KYC scams. A caller impersonates your bank or mobile money provider. They say they need to “verify” your account. They ask...