Implementing Agency:
Department For International Development (DFIDSA)

Project Code: 007-500-011	Start Date: July 1, 1994	End Date: 30/04/1998
Commitment: £706,400	Status: Awaiting Confirmation of Completion	Type of Funding: Bilateral - TC

Project Background:
Botswana/s rapid economic growth has resulted in considerable degradation of the country's renewable natural resources. Rangelands and forest reserves are being lost through exploitative use with increasing intensity; the wealth and biodiversity of wildlife and wilderness are being lost as expanding livestock production leads to increasing demands for new pasture. Changing social and community inter-relationships and controls and increasing water usage by both humans and livestock are also seriously stretching available resources.

The GoB has responded to these concerns through a number of policy and legislative initiatives, including the new Agricultural Policy in 1991, the 1991 Wildlife Conservation Policy and the 1991 Tourism Policy. A strengthened commitment to environmental issues saw the development in 1991 of the National Conservation Strategy (NCS) pledged to consider environmental issues and ensure cross sectoral environmental considerations are included in Botswana's development strategies. Recognition of the economic costs of continuing with a policy of food self-sufficiency and subsidies has prompted a move towards food security as the core component of the new agricultural policy, along with diversification of agricultural production, increasing employment opportunities and conserving land resources. NDP7 emphasises the need to raise rural incomes in ways that are sustainable and which preserve the enironment on which future livelihoods depend.

Implementation of the new policies falls not only on the MoA, but also on the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), the Ministry of Local Government, Lands and Housing (MLGLH) and the new NCS. There is an increasing need for co-ordination and co-operation between Ministries and also with the private sector, if the new poilcies are to achieve their objectives.

Project Objectives:
To develop an institutional development support programme at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Intended Outputs:
Institutional development programme for DAPS, including annual reviews of performance indicators and a training needs assessment.

Increased level of expertise among professional staff in priority areas, including: natural resource management, micro-economics and poverty analysis, market analysis, and statistics.

Increased level of technical skills among professional staff and increased use of analytical tools.

Improved capacity of local training centres to provide specialist training for DAPS staff.

Increased capacity to undertake studies and research.