Botswana’s economic profile:
Botswana is a landlocked country with significant mineral (diamond) wealth, good governance and prudent economic management. The country has enjoyed strong and stable growth since independence. However, the limitations of Botswana’s diamond-led development model have become more apparent. The slower growth, persistent inequality and stubborn unemployment rates, coupled with increased diamond market volatility, reduced Southern African Customs Union (SACU) transfers and fiscal expansion have resulted in eroded fiscal buffers.
TFSA sector work in Botswana:
The main sectors in which TFSA work in Botswana are condiments and high value specialty foods, and cosmetics and natural ingredients. Both sectors are either actively exporting or export ready, and will benefit from trade promotion interventions, technical support with Non-Tarriff Barriers compliance, and market linkage with South African buyers, in particular, as well as international markets of interest. They have a high participation of women in the workforce, with several large women-owned businesses, and export growth will as such have a great, positive impact on women – not least in rural communities where a lot of producers are based.
TFSA works closely with sector organisations Business Botswana and Natural Products Association of Botswana (NPAB) to provide producers with the necessary skills and knowledge to grow their export trade. To meet the capacity-building needs of women operating outside of the selected priority sectors; NPAB, Business Botswana and AWEP were the delivery partners who supported 124 women-owned businesses complete the Export Trade Training programme. To learn more about the outcomes of our partnerships with these business organisations download the Botswana country report below.