The Botswana government has revealed a comprehensive four-year plan to revitalise the nation’s livestock sector by aggressively expanding water infrastructure, a cornerstone initiative funded under the National Development Plan 12 (NDP12). This bold agenda, encapsulated in the Botswana’s Water for Agriculture Strategy, is positioned as the linchpin of the country’s national agricultural transformation. The Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Edwin Dikoloti, informed Parliament that the strategy will drive a comprehensive water development programme aimed squarely at strengthening livestock production nationwide through the revised Livestock Development Programme.
Minister Dikoloti detailed the substantial planned interventions, which include an extensive pipeline of works across agricultural production areas. These critical projects encompass the drilling and acquisition of new boreholes, along with the necessary equipping and reticulation infrastructure. Furthermore, the strategy will leverage modern technology with desalination projects and commit significant resources to the rehabilitation of existing boreholes, wells, and dams. This holistic approach is designed to ensure a resilient and widespread water supply, directly mitigating the risks associated with water scarcity for livestock farmers.
Crucially, the Minister disclosed that the entire programme has been strategically budgeted for under the current NDP12, underscoring its national priority status. This financial integration is key, as the strategy is not merely about water infrastructure; it aims to integrate water infrastructure with other essential input subsidy components to deliver sustainable and holistic support to the farming community. Dikoloti emphatically stressed the strategic importance of this initiative, emphasising that Botswana’s Water for Agriculture Strategy represents the cornerstone of the national agricultural transformation agenda as outlined in the NDP12, signalling a major governmental push towards food and economic security via the livestock sub-sector.
