24 Jun 2014

A project to set up a processing and packaging plant for horticulture produce in Selebi Phikwe is underway, says Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs Dorcas Makgato-Malesu.

Speaking at the Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversificaton Unit (SPEDU) and National Food Technology Research Center (NFTRC) open day in Selebi Phikwe recently, Minister Makgato-Malesu said the project would demonstrate the role that both NFTRC and SPEDU could play in providing leadership in the development of sustainable, diversified and competitive agriculture, specifically horticulture. 

She said the project would be one of government’s efforts in achieving national initiatives of poverty eradication, food security and economic diversification. 

She explained that the initiative had received financial assistance from the Office of the President.

She said the P6 million plant would address challenges facing the farmers such as having excess horticulture produce going to waste. She said through the processing plant, excess produce would be converted or processed into canned food. 

“I am greatly thankful to the Poverty Eradication Programme under Office of the President for availing the funds for the processing and packaging plant,” she said.

She said the processing plant’s vegetable dryer had arrived and refurbishment of the factory was about to commence. She noted that the project was expected to be operational in September.

Minister Makgato-Malesu said the project would create 30 direct jobs, and have a greater impact at the farm level. “Due to this existing market for farmers’ crops, we expect more hectares to be ploughed, and with that the creation of thousands of jobs at farm level not only in the SPEDU Region but throughout the country will take place,” she said.

She called on NFTRC and SPEDU as well as other stakeholders to embrace the project and ensure that it becomes a success story.

Mrs Makgato-Malesu went on to commend NFTRC and encouraged them to continue to lead in the development of viable agro-processing and other technologies for the various segments of the economy, as well as small scale individual processors.

She said NFTRC should forge partnerships with various stakeholders to utilise technology as a tool to ensure that Botswana can produce its own food, for food security employment creation, poverty eradication and economic diversification. 

Regarding SPEDU, she said the organisation serves as an important player within the delivery of her ministry’s mandate. She explained that SPEDU was set up as a company to fast-track diversification process in the region in partnership with the BCL Mine.

“It is important that the two organisations’ worked together looking at their strategies. While the BCL Polaris II Strategy will ensure the creation of a whole cluster of heavy industries, the SPEDU Regional Economic Development Strategy will ensure that these are packaged to create a range of light industries,” she said.

The Minister went to mention that the collaboration is starting to bear fruit, as a steel plant in Selebi Phikwe will soon open and is expected to create around 300 jobs. 

“Therefore, we can clearly see that we have two big projects that will be witnessed by this town in 2014 alone; the Processing Plant and this Steel Plant. These are government’s noble efforts to ensure deliverance in the diversification of the economy and the creation of wealth. I hope that as the citizens you will play your part to ensure that our goal of economic diversification is achieved,”she said. ENDS