Indians interested in Africa's growing agricultural sector are welcome to invest in Botswana through joint ventures, the assistant agriculture minister O. S. Molebasti told Governance Now in an interview.

On the question of Indians owning agricultural land in the country the minister, however, sought to tread a fine balance in his reply.

"I invite Indian companies to come and invest in partnership in Botswana on a lease basis not necessarily to buy land over there.”

Indian firms have purchased lands in other countries of Africa even as some experts criticised it and termed it a ‘neocolonial’ rush for Africa’s land and labour. In the last few years, Indian agri companies have bought thousands of hectares in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mozambique, seen widely as a “challenge to China”.

But the minister praised Indians working in Africa and called them as the most sincere people.

“In Botswana, we do not feel that Indians are colonising its people. We see Indians as very intelligent, hard working people who have a lot of patience,” he added.

“In Pandamatenga, the Botswana government would be leasing lands to foreign investors. The Indian agribusiness companies are invited do the joint ventures with Botswana farmers. 20,000 hectares land is being subdivided into plots of 500 to 2,000 hectares each,” he said.

Molebasti also informed that Chinese investment in agriculture sector is yet to take place in his country.

“A number of countries are showing interest in farming. Brazil for instance has shown interest but they are not yet come. So if India decides to invest, it would be an added advantage for them.”

Botswana agriculture minister also called for increased Indian investments in the field of agriculture. “Horticulture, irrigation system, cultivation of vegetables, dairy farming is of high interest to us, and here India can help us through investment and sharing technologies with us,” Molebasti told Governance Now.

Praising India’s irrigation system, Molebasti told, “We are also trying to borrow few ideas in irrigation system as to how you do it as you have advantage over other countries.”

The minister also wanted India’s help in improving the dairy industry of Botswana. “I invite Indian farmers to do dairy farming because the requirement of our country is 48 million litres of milk and we are able to produce just eight million ourselves. Rest comes from outside the country.”

Molebasti is a part of high-level delegation with Botswanaian Vice-President M S Merafhe on a four-day visit (June 16-19, 2010) to India which is scouting for different kinds of Indian investments in country and increase trade between two countries.