21 st July 2023
Sello Motseta
The Local Enterprise Authority(LEA) has revealed that the underdeveloped leather sector presents opportunities across the leather value chain which can be harnessed to create jobs, develop useful products, reduce the imploding import bill and reduce dependency on imports.
Godfrey Molefe, Local Enterprise Authority(LEA) Acting Chief Executive Officer(CEO), said “The Gaborone Leather Industry Incubator(GLII) was set up to accelerate growth of the infant leather manufacturing industry.”
He said, “But because of the undeveloped leather value chain characterised by lack of raw material(finished leather), leather accessories(buckles, zippers, threads) technical skills, machinery, equipment and service providers, the intended objectives have not yet been fully realized.”
According to officials the country remains a net importer of finished leather and leather products due to the underdeveloped leather value chain from slaughter facilities, hides and skins collection, transportation, handling, preservation, processing, product manufacturing and marketing.
It is against this background that a deliberate effort is being made to develop product lines such as glove manufacturing. Belts, shoes and other leather products will be launched soon, as part of the leather value chain development. These initiatives are geared towards readying citizens for the envisaged Leather Industry Park currently being constructed in Lobatse.
“The goal of this initiative is to revitalizes the leather product manufacturing sector through capacitation of citizens to develop suppliers capable of supplying products according to specifications for targeted markets. The aim is also to create a platform for locals to participate and benefit from the Citizen Economic Inclusion Act and the Public procurement Act in line with the government reset agenda on value chain development,” said Molefe.
LEA’s main role in the collaboration with the Joint Action Support towards industrialisation and the Productive Sectors(SIPS), Botswana Chamber of Mines, the Ministry of Agriculture and the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement(EPA), is to house and provide training with production facilities at the Leather Industries Incubator as well as business development interventions.
The primary goal of consummating an Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) with a broad group of stakeholders was to bolster the opportunities available to those interested in training to produce industrial leather personal protective equipment(PPE) for the local market.
A number of countries in the SADC region are guilty of underutilizing livestock hides and skins often disposing them off with a considerable number of tanneries closed. The program will address this anomaly by enhancing private sector participation in the selected regional value chains.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Entrepreneurship responsible for Value Chain and Cluster Development, Mbakiso Morapedi said “It will create a platform for locals to participate and benefit from the Economic Inclusion act and the Public procurement Act, in line with the Government reset agenda, particularly as it relates to value chain development.”
He said, “The Botswana Chamber of Mines(BCM) will mobilize and recommend to its members to procure leather PPE produced locally according to industry standards, thereby providing market access to the selected trainee companies. BCM will also the project partners on product specifications, labelling standards and compliances as requested by the mining sector in achieving product approval.”
