Commonwealth Local Government Forum

Value chain mapping in Botswana

16 March 2020

With support from CLGF, Botswana’s Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development brought together a number of local and district authorities for a capacity building workshop on value chain mapping from 9 to 13 March.

 

Jobs for the poor

 

Held in Selebi Phikwe, the aim of the training was to help participants

identify, design and implement product value chains that generate jobs for the poor and increase opportunities for self-employment, based on the comparative and competitive advantages of the different localities within Botswana. Directly aligned to Botswana’s National Development Plan, the training consisted of facilitated classwork, with extensive group work to foster 'learning by doing'.

 

The training builds on previous workshops, including those on Local Economic Assessment and Local Economic Development (LED) Strategies, which form part of the Upscaling Developmental Local Governance through Local Economic Development Programme in Botswana (2017-2020). 

 

Bankable business plans

 

The workshop was opened by Col. Duke Masilo, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, who explained that great progress had already been made. Bankable business plans had been implemented in the pilot districts, which have undergone training on value chain mapping training.

 

Chobe District has leveraged funds amounting to £101,550 for a fish farming project in Parakarungu. The project is currently being implemented by a cooperative which is made up of 62% women. Kgalagadi District has leveraged £947,803 to use for their abattoir project, which will serve as an enabler for the Small Stock Project. It is envisaged that the districts participating in the value chain mapping capacity building workshop will also develop business plans for implementation by their respective districts.

 

Col. Duke Masilo said, “I look forward with eager anticipation to receiving reflections on how the learnings translate into effective implementation of LED projects in the respective localities”. He also thanked CLGF for the continued support in the roll out of LED in Botswana.

 

Value Chains are economic systems that organise the interaction of enterprises and connects them with markets. Value Chain development builds on the observation that economic, environmental and social change are interconnected and have to be addressed systemically, based on good understanding of the chain. The selection of a value chain for promotion is an important strategic decision founded on economic, social, environmental and institutional criteria. 

 

Sharing theory and research

 

Over the course of the five day workshop, there were extensive group exercises with participants taking part in sessions on sharing theory and practical research to provide a better understanding of the methodology on value chain selection, analysis, and mapping; value chain upgrading strategy; business models, linkages and services; stakeholder mapping; and financial planning.

 

As a follow-up to the training, the districts will submit their final business concepts to address opportunities and challenges within their respective value chains. These business concepts will serve as precursors to the business plans to be developed at the workshop on business planning capacity building, which will take place in April 2020.

 

Back to News

Local government matters

  As many people around the world are going to the polls this year to choose their national leader, CLGF is continuing to highlight the importance of local elections, many of which are also taking place ...

Southern Africa Indaba

  Over four hundred delegates, made up of political leaders, technical council staff, representatives of local government associations, civil society, development partners and local government actors fr ...

Sign up for CLGF e-news

© CLGF 2024 : Privacy Policy