Local farmers meet 70% demand for potatoes, tomatoes

In January, the Government of Botswana through the Ministry of Agriculture imposed an import ban on certain vegetables. The ban which came into effect on January 1 targeted 16 vegetables such as onions, butternut, tomatoes, watermelons, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and ginger.

The ban was intended to support local farmers, increase national food security by encouraging local vegetable production and improve horticulture competitiveness. The ban was also meant to alleviate climate change effects, develop the agriculture value chain and foster citizen empowerment. “I stand here today proud to report back to you that our implementation is bearing fruit. We have made strides in the right direction and managed to achieve several projects. We launched the horticulture scheme where government pays 50% for agricultural initiatives.