INSIDE MINISTRY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP’S BLUEPRINT
Government has vowed to create a sustainable and competitive Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMES) sector capable of helping foster an export-led economy in Botswana.
As part of their support for SMMES, the recently established Ministry of Entrepreneurship (MOE) will focus on a number of key areas. These include: enterprise development, citizen economic empowerment, value chain development, identifying new sectors and creating jobs.
To achieve all this, the ministry has identified strategic sectors of the economy to coordinate value chains, promote business enterprises and achieve diversity. This includes minerals, animal production, indigenous products, hides and skin processing and tourism sub-sectors.
Speaking at the blueprint’s launch on Friday, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Karabo Gare, described SMMES as a key driver of economic growth and social inclusion.
“Their role has become more critical than ever over the years,” he stressed.
“We are mandated to review SMME existing policies and programmes to make the environment conducive for running a business and for emerging entrepreneurs to be able to start and grow and survive, thus creating jobs and contributing to the positive growth of the economy,” explained Gare.
According to Permanent Secretary at MOE, Joel Ramaphoi, they have set two mutually inclusive strategies to position SMMES for growth into formal value chains.
“Focus will be on domestic production capabilities and target high value catalytic projects and services as game changers. As such, we have adopted market oriented reforms where we develop inclusive market system with pyramid structure of reforms. Further, we are taking an anchor firm approach in order to reclaim concentration of value adding activities to production area-principal suppliers and or customers must be located locally or nearby production areas. This will develop access to the market,” declared Ramaphoi.
Botswana’s main exports include: diamonds, copper and nickel, beef, coal and textiles.
The majority are exported as raw products, depriving Botswana of the chance to benefit from value chain development, which can help in creating employment and selling products at a higher price to trade partners due to value added on.
Almost 55 years since the first diamonds were discovered in Botswana, the precious stones, which form 60 percent of local exports, are still sold as rough.