Leading UAE Dairy Company to set up in Botswana
Masisi invites the world to ‘ outpace growth with us’ at Botswana Investment Conference
One of the leading dairy and juice companies in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE), Al Rawabi Dairy Company, plans to set up a dairy farm for 5000 cows in Botswana, as well as a Centre of Learning to help local farmers scale up production.
President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi will visit the company ahead of the Expo2020 Dubai Botswana National Day opening on Sunday, March 13th to concretise these plans, which, will prop up the country’s dairy needs, should they come to pass.
Thuso Palai, Director, Brand Management at Botswana Investment and Trade Centre ( BITC) confirmed this when briefing the Botswana press corps in Dubai Wednesday afternoon, but did not give a definite date of the visit.
Al Rawabi currently produces 350,000 litres of dairy products and 150,000 litres of juice products per day and is listed among the 40 strongest brands in the Arab world by Forbes Magazine. The Company produces 4 percent of national UAE dairy demand as well as 1.4 megawatts of power through biogas.
The Company started operations in 1989 on a farm in the heart of Dubai’s desert in Al Khawaneej with 500 imported cows with a vision to become a market leader in fresh dairy and juice products.
As part of his RESET Agenda, Masisi is tackling mindset change, which he recognises as a critical enabler to help the country achieve its national development goals, among them food security. Local farmers are failing to satisfy the national milk demand, whilst efforts to ramp up milk production through advances in technology, better breeds and increased government subsidies, have to date not yielded any commendable results.
In fact, the stalled milk production plant in Lobatse ( MilkAfric), which has since been taken over by Botswana Development Corporation ( BDC) provides a perfect example.
Botswana has flexed her muscles in her bid to attract foreign direct investment at the Expo2020 Dubai, joining 190 countries to showcase the best of her mining processes, jewellery and fashion; innovations and inventions.
From October 2021 to date, Botswana has also given the rest of the world a taste of the country’s arts, crafts and basketry; the distinct tourism features by regions, animals, vegetation and dance; foods and cuisine.
The highlights of these six months activities were the value proposition presentations and the sectoral roundtables that started on March 9th and will culminate with the Botswana National Day celebrations on March 13th as well as a Trade and Investment Conference on March 14th under the theme, ‘ Sustained Growth Through Inclusive ad Innovative Investments’.
According to Kutlo Moagi, the Executive Director, Brand Management, the investment conference will afford President Masisi and his team of high- ranking officials and captains of industry in the private sector to highlight opportunities that exist in various priority sectors including new innovative areas for development and growth.
The investment conference scheduled for The Ritz – Carlton, DIFC, Dubai, is also intended to showcase Botswana as an investment destination of choice. Kutlo said the highlight of the evening of March 14th will be a one- on- one conversation with President Masisi hosted by Cable News Network ( CNN) Abu Dhabi’s correspondent, Eleni Giokos.