NDB secures P133m facility to boost grain production

The US$10 million (about P133 million) facility, which is currently at the drawdown stage, is ring-fenced for seasonal input financing and is expected to ease longstanding funding constraints faced by commercial and emerging farmers in the two regions. Pandamatenga and Mosisedi blocks are widely regarded as the backbone of Botswana’s grain production and are central to national food security efforts. The funding is a shot in the arm as it comes at a time when Botswana continues to grapple with high food import dependence, climate variability and rising input costs, all of which have placed pressure on domestic agricultural output.

According to official data, the country imports a significant share of its staple foods, exposing the economy to external price shocks and currency pressures. BADEA, a multilateral development finance institution owned by Arab League member states, provides financing and technical assistance to public and private sector institutions across Africa. Its support focuses on agriculture, infrastructure, rural development and social sector projects aligned with national development plans, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. According to both the acting director of Veterinary Services, Kobedi Segale and acting Lands and Agriculture minister, Edwin Dikoloti, the virus currently raging through the North-East mostly likely first entered the country during the festive season.From the “unprecedented” number of cases picked in testing last week, it is likely that cattle and other livestock could have been infected last year, without being reported.Animal health…