The Ministry of Entrepreneurship in conjunction with Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) launched the market last Tuesday at Block 3 Industrial in Gaborone. The first of its kind locally, Letsema Horticulture Market is a central point for farmers across the country to sell their fresh produce rather than directly to the market. Three more are to be opened in Maun, Gantsi, and Francistown in the near future to spread the services across the country. Minister of Entrepreneurship, Karabo Gare, said the opening of the market was a step forward for horticulture, especially in the value chain development which couldn't rely on imports. Gare added the horticultural sector is vital for the economy as it has the potential to create employment for citizens. He further said global challenges such as climate change, which led to food insecurity, could be addressed through horticulture.
“This sector has the potential to address all these challenges, no matter the scale of farming one practises. Let's contribute and motivate farmers, small and commercial, to produce more. The horticulture sector was one of the most challenged in realising returns, indicating that the CEDA loan book has horticultural producers as some of the most in debt,” he said when speaking at the official opening of the market. “This is due to the fact that the horticulture market hasn't been profitable for farmers to make enough profit to service their loans, and the horticulture market owes millions in arrears, so this market will hopefully help them service their loans.” The market is one of the government’s strategies to make Botswana a food-sufficient country after prohibiting the importation of certain vegetables two years ago. Through the newly established horticulture market, the government intends to provide objective plans for the market, such as reducing imports to boost value chain development as well as help uplift small farmers in addition to providing a stable market. The operation of the business is expected to be swift as farmers would also be paid within five days to ensure sustainability. Gare said the Letsema Horticulture Market eased farmers' headaches as they would now have fewer worries about where to sell their produce, thereby spending their energy on producing more.
“Initially, farmers were forced to peddle their produce around, which required their time, and after a few days, the produce would perish, forcing them to sell at a loss and incur post-harvest losses. So this market will give them value for their produce while still fresh,” he said. For his part, Botswana Horticulture Council chairperson, Mogomotsi Moatswi said there was a need for the market to be stringent in quality control to ensure that only the highest quality passed through. “This will help in bringing customer confidence in the local produce,” he said.
Moatswi further urged government to be more stringent on chemical residue control on horticulture produce, which he said would protect the integrity of the produce. He hailed government for the moratorium on the importation of some horticulture produce, which he said was a bold political decision necessary to grow the local sector.
