Botswana

54 smallholder farming businesses have been funded through the 'Green Energy Transition for Sustainable Agriculture' project of the National Development Bank since Oct 2022, officials revealed this week, thanks to an €850.000 grant from German government

President Duma Boko has been named on the Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 list, being recognised for leading the seismic change last year that brought Botswana’s first change in political power since Independence in 1966

Botswana’s horticulture - a young industry sector - is rapidly gaining ground and showing promising signs of progress: more and more farmers register, commit to raise product quality, pay attention to post-harvest, dialogue increased across platforms

The Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines, in collaboration with business partners, recently donated 276 tables, chairs and 97 blankets to the Motsumi Junior Secondary School in Letlhakane

BOTSAT-1, Botswana's first space satellite, has passed all tests and is ready for launch from Space X's facilities in California, USA, and the long-awaited event is expected to take place soon after technical problems delayed it

School authorities have ordered the temporary closure of schools due to disruptions in the transportation of students caused by heavy rains that flooded most roads and interrupted some

Efforts are being stepped up to crack down on illegal sales of TV decoders, in a coordinated action by the Botswana Police Service and the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority

The country, largely diamond-dependent, needs economic restructuring said President Duma Boko, with the development of new industries, the dismantling of the state-owned electricity company in favour of private investment, and an increase in soft loans

The country has 2nd highest cost of living in Africa after Ethiopia, according to Business Insider Africa considering affordability of essential goods and services like housing, transportation, food, health care and education in the cost of living index

The government extended the derogation for the export of live cattle, primarily to South Africa, until 30 April, as the Botswana Meat Commission, the only institution statutorily authorised to export meat products, continued to face operational problems

A total of 98 children were born on 1 January 2025, more than doubling last year's 46 children; the figure is seen as a good omen after President Duma Boko recently announced new programmes to encourage citizens to generate more children

400 elephant hunting licenses have been issued on top of permits for other species amid fresh opposition from conservationists; international hunters pay up to $50.000 to obtain a license in order to hunt an elephant

Only 28 women stood for Parliament out of 258 contestants, or 10,85%, and only three women won their seats, 4,92% of the 61 seats; on the other hand, women represent 54% of those eligible to vote