Bangladesh and Botswana are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in agriculture and livestock sectors and exchange visits of agricultural experts, a release issued this week, said.
During their meeting, Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Botswana Minister of Agriculture Fidelis Malao agreed to exchange technical knowledge and training in agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture areas during their bilateral meeting.
Alam was on a visit to Botswana.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s ability of huge production of food staples, vegetables, fisheries, poultry and livestock, Alam proposed to Botswana to consider contract farming by Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in the southern African country.
Botswana officials expressed keen interest in concluding the MoU and underlined the need for establishing contacts between the agricultural experts and producers of the two countries.
Malao also invited agricultural experts from Bangladesh to visit Botswana as the two countries agreed to continue discussions in agriculture and fisheries at the government, farmers and expert levels.
The Botswana minister said the country was connected to many countries in the SADC region through land routes, and the Botswana government was putting special focus on developing the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
Bangladesh has already initiated contract farming in other countries in Africa.
The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources also proposed building a partnership with Bangladesh in agricultural education areas adding both sides should exchange knowledge in horticulture, food security, nutrition and veterinary areas.
