Bio-diversity

Despite having access to several veldt products with perceived market potential the rural areas still experience the highest levels of poverty. Behind the conviction that rural poverty can be overcome faster by facilitating access to and ownership of marketable commodities, there is need to invest in technologies that add value to natural products to further enhance their market feasibility. This proposal builds on the recognition that previous commercialization efforts have been fragmented and piecemeal, have taken little cognizance of global market trends, have tended to exclude the private sector and have consequently remained outside the mainstream of economic growth strategies. Having failed to generate real benefits for poor rural people, commercialization has also contributed little to promote environmental sustainability. The target group of the project, small-scale and community based enterprises, will benefit from increased income opportunities through capacity building and support on harvesting, processing raw materials, product development (based on R outcomes), market development, supply chain development, improved policy and regulatory environment, more reliable demand and supply of their products, guidelines on sustainable harvesting, and supportive policies and regulations. Multiple opportunities for innovative environmentally sustainable industries and local value-addition will be created.

Botswana