This National Agricultural Policy provides a sectoral framework and comprehensive guide for advancing the growth, sustainability, resilience, and diversification of the agricultural sector. Its key objectives are to (i) promote climate-smart, science-driven agriculture through partnerships with research and academic institutions, including the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) and the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), ensuring access to improved research, drought-tolerant crops, livestock breeds, modern technologies, and smart irrigation systems; (ii) expand access to agricultural finance and insurance, enabling farmers and agribusinesses to manage risk, invest in productive capacity, and position agriculture as a bankable and investable sector; (iii) strengthen land tenure and water rights to provide smallholder and commercial farmers with greater security to plan, invest, and expand their enterprises; (iv) support integrated agricultural value chains, from farm to fork, through investment in storage, processing, packaging, transportation, logistics, and market infrastructure, reducing post-harvest losses and increasing value captured by producers and the wider economy; (v) position agriculture as a driver of youth employment and entrepreneurship by promoting agri-tech, start-ups, innovation, skills development, and opportunities for young people across the agricultural value chain; (vi) ensure the meaningful inclusion of women and vulnerable groups by expanding access to land, finance, markets, technology, skills, and leadership opportunities; and (vii) promote sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices that restore soil health, conserve biodiversity, improve resource efficiency, and protect the environment for future generations. Diversification is at the core of this Policy’s vision. The Policy seeks to broaden the range of crops, livestock, and value-added products to reduce dependence on a narrow agricultural base, strengthen resilience to climate and market shocks, and enhance food and economic security. It will also promote diversification across the value chain by expanding opportunities for processing, packaging, marketing, and exports. Increased domestic processing and value addition will help capture a greater share of the value generated from Botswana’s agricultural resources, create employment, and strengthen agriculture’s contribution to sustainable economic development. The framework consolidates more than 140 policy measures across 12 strategic areas, focusing on increasing productivity, strengthening resilience, promoting diversification, improving competitiveness, creating employment, and enhancing food and economic security. They are (i) Agrisector Social Policies, addressing rural social challenges through youth participation in agri-entrepreneurship, improved access for women to land and productive resources, agricultural health and wellness programmes, and mentorship, leadership, and intergenerational knowledge transfer; (ii) Agrisector Technology Policies, accelerating technology adoption through modernised seed and breeding systems, cold chains and post-harvest technologies, precision agriculture, digital platforms, climate-smart irrigation, ICT-enabled extension services, skills development, and stronger research and public-private partnerships; (iii) Agrisector Economic Policies, improving agricultural performance and investment through expanded insurance and early-warning systems, market formalisation and digital access, inclusive mechanisation, improved infrastructure and market linkages, appropriate land consolidation, and strengthened land rights; (iv) Agrisector Environment Policy, placing climate resilience and environmental sustainability at the centre of agricultural development through climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, renewable energy, reduced agricultural emissions, biodiversity protection, and measures to prevent deforestation, overgrazing, and ecosystem degradation; (v) Agrisector Governance Policy, addressing institutional fragmentation and accountability through stronger governance of subsidies and investments, a National Food Systems Framework, improved use of spatial data for land and crop monitoring, enhanced inter-institutional coordination, and meaningful farmer participation in policy processes; (vi) Agrisector Arable Farming, improving the productivity and commercial viability of arable farming, particularly for smallholders, through improved seed and biotechnology systems, expanded irrigation, mechanisation and training, tailored finance and risk-management instruments, and land consolidation where appropriate; (vii) Pastoral Farming Policies, strengthening the productivity, resilience, and commercial value of livestock through modernised beef and goat value chains, improved breeding and feed systems, stronger animal health services, digital livestock identification and traceability, and the restructuring and commercialisation of the Botswana Meat Commission; (viii) Horticulture Policies, developing horticulture as a high-value and diversified subsector through expanded tree-crop production, protected agriculture and fertigation technologies, improved access to finance, and sector-specific insurance and risk-management products; (ix) Forestry Policies, developing forestry as a productive and sustainable economic sector through greater value addition, improved pest and disease management, stronger data and monitoring systems, access to carbon finance, and improved financing for forest-based enterprises; (x) Aquaculture Policies, promoting aquaculture as a source of diversification, food, employment, and income by improving water quality, breeding and fish-health systems, production infrastructure, feed innovation, producer competitiveness, and market linkages for small-scale farmers; (xi) Hydroponics Industry, supporting hydroponics as an innovative and resource-efficient component of agricultural diversification through targeted finance and innovation grants, specialised training, research on water and nutrient management, and commercial adoption of hydroponic technologies; (xii) Cash Crop Policy, promoting commercially viable and climate-resilient cash crops while safeguarding food security, including support for industrial hemp and other high-value crops, appropriate safeguards to balance export opportunities with domestic food production, and improved access to long-term finance. Across all 12 strategic areas, the Policy identifies 6 cross-cutting priorities that are essential to successful implementation (i) Institutional Integration, coordinating among ministries, local authorities, research institutions, development partners, farmers, and the private sector to ensure coherent implementation of agricultural policies and programmes; (ii) Finance and Investment, establishing dedicated agricultural finance windows and investment mechanisms, with particular attention to underserved regions, smallholder farmers, youth, women, and emerging agricultural enterprises; (iii) Data, Digitalisation and Innovation, strengthening agricultural data systems, digital agriculture, research, innovation, monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making, including the effective use of spatial and satellite-based technologies; (iv) Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability, integrating climate adaptation, resource efficiency, sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental protection across all agricultural subsectors; (v) Youth and Women, mainstreaming their participation across policy implementation, ensuring access to land, finance, technology, skills, markets, entrepreneurship opportunities, and leadership; (vi) Monitoring and Evaluation framework, aligned with Vision 2036, the SDGs, and national agricultural development targets, with clear indicators, institutional responsibilities, and mechanisms for accountability.
بوتسوانا · 2025-05-01