SEZA’s silos to lure commercial farmers

Special Economic Zones Authority board chairman, Thapelo Tsheole has reiterated the country’s appetite to attract more commercial farmers in the Pandamatenga Special Economic Zone.

The sentiment comes after his recent visit to appreciate progress on the construction of 12 steel grain silos at the Pandamatenga SEZ. Tsheole highlighted that SEZA’s on- going projects, especially construction of the 12 steel grain silos, expected to be completed next year, will offer a better value proposition to potential agriculture investors through readily available infrastructure.

With better infrastructure, Tsheole said Botswana hopes to attract large scale farmers, both local and foreign. The commercial farmers are anticipated to solve the long standing problem of food insecurity and high food import bill. According to Pandamatenga steel grain silos Project Manager, Walter Kgabung, civil and structural works are complete, while electrical and mechanical installations were at 60 percent completion. “We experienced minor delays due to the Covid- 19 pandemic. We also had to source some materials from Francistown and Gaborone as they were not available in Kasane,” said Kgabung.

SEZA is on record announcing that the 12 modern steel grain silos have a total storage capacity of 60,000 metric tonnes and are meant to augment the limited capacity of

the existing silos in anticipation of increased agro- production in the Pandamatenga SEZ. Pandamatenga is being built into an Agropolis SEZ that combines modern farming with top notch industrial, residential, commercial and recreational facilities. The crops that are expected to be produced in the area include cereal, legumes, oil seeds, fruits and vegetables, with added opportunities for agro- processing.

Tsheole is optimistic that the Pandamatenga SEZ will drive efforts to rejuvenate agriculture. Apart from growing agriculture’s economic activities, farming activities in Pandamatenga are expected to create more employment and help transform the country economy into high income status.