Botswana University Agriculture and Natural Resources and African Agriculture launch the first BHERO tractor in Botswana assembled by BUAN students
In their continued efforts to give back to the agriculture education sector, African Agriculture donated tractor parts to the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) engineering department to allow the students to be the first engineers to assemble the first BHERO tractor supplied by African Agriculture.
Officiating the event His Excellency the President of Botswana, Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi said, “The launch of the tractor is a huge milestone in the era where Botswana is warming up to the idea of revamping agriculture mechanization and that when he was told that BUAN students assembled a tractor he felt an obligation to come and appreciate the job well done.
“African Agriculture engaged BUAN students to be the first tractor assemblers; this will leave a footprint in the University as well as in the country. BUAN students will gain adequate hands-on experience and attain the necessary knowledge base, from the partnership between BUAN and African Agriculture. BUAN is the first agricultural university, it has to fulfill and live up to its mandate of feeding Batswana.” said Mr Obakeng Letsema, African Agriculture’s Workshop Manager, and graduate of BUAN.
In her appreciation remarks, the Honourable Acting Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake, expressed her gratitude towards the students’ contribution towards transforming the economy, through knowledge and skills development. She also thanked the two institutions for their value-add and partnership. The two have collaborated to conduct research on various innovative agricultural notions and work together to find ways to build a sustainable agricultural sector for the growth and development of Botswana.