The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) and the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs continue to strengthen their long-standing partnership dedicated to advancing community empowerment, sustainable development, and national food security. The collaboration, anchored by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reflects a shared commitment to supporting Botswana’s socio-economic transformation through knowledge exchange, research, and community-based initiatives. During a recent courtesy meeting between BUAN Vice Chancellor, Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, and the Honourable Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr. Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening institutional collaboration. The meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on progress made under the existing MoU and to explore areas for expansion in response to emerging national development priorities. In his remarks, Minister Motshegwa commended BUAN for its pivotal role in Botswana’s industrialization and community development agenda. He emphasized the importance of leveraging BUAN’s expertise in agricultural innovation, capacity building, and research to empower local communities and strengthen grassroots economic resilience. The Minister further noted that the MoU would be reviewed and enhanced to ensure that it remains responsive to the evolving needs of citizens and aligns with national policies on local governance and rural development. Professor Mosepele expressed BUAN’s continued commitment to collaborating with government and community partners to address pressing challenges in food security and sustainable livelihoods. He highlighted BUAN’s strategic focus on developing human capital, advancing applied research, and promoting agricultural entrepreneurship as key drivers of inclusive growth. “BUAN remains dedicated to working hand in hand with the Ministry to empower communities with the knowledge and skills required to achieve self-sufficiency and contribute meaningfully to Botswana’s development goals,” he affirmed. The discussions also underscored the shared objective of enhancing local capacity for sustainable agricultural practices, improving food systems, and fostering innovation in rural enterprises. Through joint programmes, training, and outreach initiatives, BUAN and the Ministry aim to equip communities with practical skills for food production, income generation, and environmental stewardship. This renewed collaboration marks an important step in reinforcing the link between academic research, policy implementation, and community development. By pooling expertise and resources, BUAN and the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs continue to play a vital role in shaping a more resilient, inclusive, and food-secure Botswana.

The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), in collaboration with the Consortium for One Health in Southern Africa (COHESA), hosted a One Health Breakfast Meeting on 22 October 2025 in Gaborone. The event brought together representatives from government ministries, international organizations, academia, and research institutions to deliberate on strategies for advancing the One Health agenda in Botswana. In his opening remarks, Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, Vice Chancellor of BUAN, emphasized the importance of adopting the One Health approach as a strategic imperative for Botswana’s public health, food security, and sustainable development. He highlighted BUAN’s leadership role in promoting healthy ecosystems and animal health and called for harmonized policies, improved coordination, and shared accountability among stakeholders to achieve national and regional health goals. Following the Vice Chancellor’s remarks, Professor Flora Meluenberg led the discussions and presented findings from a Net-Mapping exercise conducted by the COHESA team. The exercise provided valuable insights into stakeholder linkages, highlighting key influencers in One Health decision-making and collaboration across sectors. Adding to the day’s deliberations, Professor Kgosimore delivered a comprehensive presentation on the integration of One Health principles into academic curricula and research. He emphasized the need to embed interdisciplinary approaches within teaching and training programmes at BUAN and other national institutions to build a new generation of professionals equipped to address complex health challenges at the human–animal–environment interface. His presentation sparked engaging discussions on capacity building, curriculum development, and cross-sectoral research collaborations. In contextualizing One Health Implementation in Botswana. In Botswana, the One Health (OH) approach is implemented within the framework of the Libreville Declaration (LD), which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. The LD provides a foundation for assessing how the entire environmental space influences human well-being and serves as a key instrument for operationalizing One Health principles. Stakeholders responsible for enforcing the LD agenda play a central role in shaping Botswana’s emerging One Health legal and policy framework. Although comprehensive documentation of the national One Health framework remains limited, Botswana demonstrates evidence of strong governance mechanisms through its implementation of various regional and international commitments. These are coordinated through key line ministries to address One Health challenges and ensure preparedness during public health emergencies. Nonetheless, there is a pressing need to document holistic governance structures to promote a shared understanding and cohesive action among stakeholders. Looking ahead, an assessment of the One Health landscape is crucial to evaluate sectoral performance, identify capacity gaps, and address systemic barriers to effective multi-sectoral collaboration in the management of One Health issues across the country. In closing, participants of the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to proactive engagement and collective action toward achieving a resilient, sustainable, and health-secure Botswana — underscoring that One Health is not an option, but a critical necessity.  

      Botswana has officially launched the 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), reaffirming its commitment to leveraging higher education as a cornerstone for agricultural innovation and sustainable development across Africa. The launch event, was hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) in Sebele. It brought together key stakeholders from government, academia, and development organizations from across the continent.   The gathering marked the beginning of a series of activities leading up to the main AGM scheduled for December in Gaborone. It served as both a strategic and symbolic occasion, highlighting Africa’s growing urgency to align its universities with national and continental priorities such as food security, climate resilience, economic diversification, and youth empowerment.   In his remarks, BUAN Vice Chancellor, Professor Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, stressed the need for African universities to evolve into “fourth-generation” institutions—universities that are not only centers of knowledge but also dynamic players in local innovation ecosystems. He pointed out that despite the continent’s population increasing nearly fivefold since the 1960s, agricultural productivity has remained stagnant, a reality he described as a failure of higher education institutions to fully embrace science and innovation. “We need universities that transcend national boundaries,” said Prof. Mosepele. “Institutions that are engaged with industry, government, and civil society, and that place technology and innovation at the heart of their operations.” His message was a clear call to action for African universities to redefine their purpose, align more closely with the needs of society, and lead the charge in building a resilient, innovation-driven future for the continent.   Present to officially pre-launch RUFORUM was the Minister of Higher Education, Honourable Prince Mooketsi Maele. In his Keynote address he emphasized that Africa’s youthful population represents a unique opportunity that must be matched by robust investment in higher education and research. While acknowledging RUFORUM’s achievements in postgraduate training—supporting over 6,200 master’s and 2,800 PhD candidates—he expressed concern over Africa’s low ratio of scientists, with only 198 per million people, far below the global average of 1,150. “This must change,” Minister Maele asserted. “If Africa is to break the cycle of dependency and underdevelopment, our universities must lead in knowledge production, innovation, and economic transformation.” He also highlighted the need to reverse the decline of agriculture in Botswana’s economy. Once contributing 40% to GDP in 1966, the sector now accounts for just 2%, signaling an urgent need to revitalize it through science-driven solutions.   The Minister’s address was inspiring an urgent reminder that Africa’s future hinges on its ability to harness the potential of its youth, reinvest in knowledge systems, and reclaim strategic sectors like agriculture through research and innovation. The official pre-launch of RUFORUM marks not just a milestone, but a renewed commitment to building universities that are truly engines of transformation across the continent.   The event was also co-hosted by the RUFORUM Executive Secretary, Professor Patrick Okori. In his address, Okori praised Botswana for hosting the AGM and reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to building a continent-wide platform for research, training, and innovation. He emphasized that the AGM’s theme; Positioning Africa’s Universities to Effectively Impact Development, speak directly to the continent’s complex challenges and emerging opportunities. Referencing key African Union frameworks such as the CAADP Kampala Declaration and the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP), Prof. Okori stated that RUFORUM aims to significantly increase Africa’s scientific productivity and ensure that research translates into practical outcomes new technologies, jobs, and enterprises. He said that, youth engagement remains a top priority, citing ongoing training events, hackathons, and mentorship programs already taking place as part of the pre-AGM agenda. “No contribution is too small. As an African proverb reminds us: if you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.” His message resonated with the gathering: that through shared vision, inclusive participation, and sustained investment in science and innovation, Africa's universities can be powerful engines for sustainable development across the continent.   The launch event concluded with panel discussions where speakers urged all stakeholders being governments, universities, development partners, and the private sector to collaborate more deeply and to reimagine the role of higher education in shaping Africa’s future.   With the main AGM set to take place in Gaborone in December, the momentum from this pre-launch positions Botswana as a key convener of transformative dialogue on education, innovation, and inclusive development across Africa.