We have plenty of unused land, yet we have many agricultural graduates and we can’t produce food for the country. What could be the problem?
While listening to a program on Gabz Fm recently I heard the host, Thabiso Titus Paul, ask a very intriguing question, one that surely has been popular amongst ordinary citizens on the competence of Agricultural Graduates in as far as Food Production is concerned.
The question was: We have plenty of unused land, yet we have many agricultural graduates and we can’t produce food for the country, what’s the problem
The competence of Agricultural graduates has been under scrutiny and attack especially when it comes to conversations around Botswana’s food security status, and they have been grossly blamed and on the firing line for Botswana’s lack of food self sufficiency.
Not all Agricultural Graduates can be Farmers, we need their skills and knowledge to explore the entire Agricultural value chain, expecting these graduates to flood only food production is not only an injustice to the sector but also detrimental to the growth of this lucrative industry.
Being a Farmer is one of the many opportunities that a graduate can venture into. As such we can not use being a farmer as a litmus test to determine Key Performance Indicators of a fully qualified graduate. If these agricultural scientists cannot analyze and solve problems, if they can not use science to bring about solutions to climate change, if they cannot plan and be innovative, then there you have a case to call them INCOMPETENT!
However we should also bear in mind that these graduates who you are dearly rendering incompetent are at the helm of companies that are doing, and have been doing very well for many years, such as Senn Food, Flotek Botswana, Parmalat, soil and water companies, agrishops, and many more. This should be evidence enough that BUAN and other agricultural institutions have done well to produce quality human resource for the Agricultural sector.
Batswana need to be well informed that getting a qualification from BUAN does not mean that on is automatically Rralophalo! ( a vet). It’s diverse, financial institutions such as CEDA, LEA, NDB should engage Agricultural Economists and Agribusiness experts to evaluate loan applications.
If in the modern day world you are getting your millions and injecting them in your Agricultural projects without doing soil and water tests, with no farm management plans, with no qualified manager because you regard those as a peace of paper! Then your tears are guaranteed. However the Food Security agenda is upon all of us, a cohesive force of Professionals in the Industry, Farmers, Agricultural corporates/ Businesses and as well as Agricultural Students is a necessity and the only weapon we are left with to bring the much needed transformation!
Lastly, to those in power, make ease of access to factors of production for these graduates, if they fail, then and only then you can say they are no fit for the food security agenda.
Mbiganyi Taka
Founder and President: The Botswana Agricultural Sciences Professionals Association
