7 August - The Basarwa communities in Botswana will get a $100,000 grant to help them with organized cattle ranching.

United States African Development Foundation (USADF), in partnership with the Government of Botswana, held a grant recipient ceremony recognising a grant totaling nearly USD$100,000 benefiting the Komku Development Trust, a community group in Botswana, which was also represented by Xharae Xhase, the coordinator and 2009 AGOA session panelist.

During the ceremony, USADF Vice-Chairman Dr John Agwunobi, emphasised the importance of grassroots development in Botswana, by stating “USADF is a US Government Agency committed to funding groups at the grassroots level to create jobs and increase incomes. This grant is at the heart of what USADF does.”

This grant will fund Komku Trust to work with seven San communities in Western Botswana to help their members move from subsistence cattle rearing to organised cattle ranching with a management and land use plan, permanent access to water and land ownership. Under the programme, the Komku Trust will work together with the Botswana Meat Commission so that cattle raised by the San community members will be sold under the company’s quota of beef to the European Union.

The two year, $100,000 grant will fund improvements to financial systems, training, a farm development and livestock management plan, and a five year business plan, a major boost to the groups’ limitations to join the commercial ranks.

USADF began programming in Botswana in 1985. Botswana’s current portfolio stands at twenty-two investment projects totaling more than $3 million.

By staff writer

© afrol News