Author’s Note
While listening to the remarks delivered by President Duma Boko in this speech, I was struck by his clarity. He articulated the evolving responsibilities of the public and private sectors in national development. His message prompted a deeper reflection on the true meaning of building an economy. Such an economy should be self-sustaining and productive. It must also align with the long-term aspirations of our nation.
This piece outlines a structured perspective on key themes that emerged from that reflection. It highlights the foundational role of STEM. It emphasizes the accountability of institutions. There is an urgent need to shift from dependency to performance-driven growth. It is not offered as a critique. Instead, it is a contribution to the ongoing national conversation about how we move from intent to meaningful impact.
Key Themes on National Revenue, Economic Responsibility, and the Role of STEM in Private Sector Performance
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Building a Self-Sustaining Economy: From Dependency to Performance
This paper is informed by the recent remarks of President Duma. It reflects on the evolving roles of the public and private sectors in Botswana’s development. It calls for a decisive transition. The transition is from a state-centric economic model reliant on taxation and external investment. It shifts to a performance-driven economy led by a globally competitive private sector. This economy is rooted in STEM capability and accountable institutions.
Key Messages
Redefining the Role of Government
The primary role of government is governance, not revenue generation. Taxes exist to sustain essential public services, not to drive economic development or build national infrastructure. The private sector must lead economic output. The nation’s best minds and talent should concentrate here to design and lead, not just follow.
Private Sector Must Own the Economy
Economic growth should be led and financed by the private sector. Infrastructure development must also be led by them. They should create value chains too. This should not occur through public procurement. Instead, it should be achieved through market competitiveness, exports, and reinvestment of earned revenues.
From Local Consumption to Global Trade
Botswana’s productive sectors must shift from serving a market of 2 million. They need to export competitively to a global market of 4–8 billion. Export revenues are the only sustainable source of private sector capital for national infrastructure.
Institutions Must Become Market-Makers
Agencies like MITI, BITC, and MIR must leave behind their gatekeeping roles. They should transition to active facilitators of global demand. They should enable Botswana-made goods and services to reach international markets. They must also ensure these products meet global standards.
STEM Is Not Optional—It Is Foundational
The deficit in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is a core barrier. It hinders private sector innovation. It also affects systems design and national competitiveness. Addressing this gap must become a national priority.
Accountability and Performance Culture Needed
Both the public and private sectors suffer from a lack of performance culture. When salaries remain constant despite underperformance or economic decline, the system disincentivizes learning, growth, and adaptation.
Correcting Structural Market Distortions
National grocery chains granted access to public markets often exclude local farmers. This creates closed, exploitative loops that undermine domestic producers. STEM-informed policy could help establish fair structures—e.g., requiring local sourcing quotas.
Entertainment, Sports, and ICT Are Enablers. They are not drivers. Sectors like ICT and creative industries are important for national identity and modernization. However, they must support—not replace—the core economy. Youth should be redirected into value-creating roles in agriculture, manufacturing, and exports.
Rethinking Foreign Investment
Over-reliance on foreign capital masks deeper structural weaknesses. Foreign investors cannot carry the burden of transforming local performance. Sustainable growth must be built from within—through domestic capability, accountability, and reinvestment.
Conclusion
This is a call to action—not only to policy leaders, but to the private sector, educators, institutions, and families. Botswana’s economy will transform not by managing scarcity. It will transform by unleashing the performance of its people and systems.
We must shift our view—from managing what we have to building what we need. If this requires tightening our belts, then it must be embraced as a national prerogative. The imperative is clear: growth must be powered from within, not imported or outsourced.
STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS TO UNLESASH PERFORMANCE
1. The Role of the Public Sector: Governance, Not Revenue Generation
The public sector should not be held responsible for the country’s overall revenue performance. Taxes are not the primary engine of growth—they are designed to sustain essential government functions, not build mega national projects.
The role of government is to regulate, administer, and facilitate—not to generate income or directly build commercial infrastructure. Beyond national planning and oversight, the implementation of development and infrastructure should not fall under direct government responsibility. Economic output must be led by the private sector, where the nation’s best minds and talent should be concentrated.
2. Revenue Generation is a Private Sector Responsibility
The belief that “we know our local situation best” has failed to deliver the results we aspire to. It has discouraged some of the world’s best talent from contributing to our economic advancement. This inward-looking stance has constrained our ability to position the country meaningfully on the global economic stage. Our achievements are limited to visible successes in extraction industries, tourism, MICE, sports, and pageantry. These sectors serve global elites and hold value. However, they represent a very small portion of global economic activity. This is true in terms of GDP (please refer to the note below). To move forward, we must be willing to open up. We should engage in global collaboration. We need to compete with the world’s leading economic producers.
We must recognize our current limitations in leading the private sector. Consequently, we must be prepared to import seasoned industry leaders. These are individuals with proven records of accomplishment and success. They will guide our economic transformation. Alternatively, we must be willing to export our emerging talent. They can learn from the best in the world. This will equip them to return and lead. Their insight, discipline, and excellence are required to drive the economy forward.
This understanding aligns with the foundational ideas of neoliberalism, also referred to as market fundamentalism. At its core, neoliberalism maintains that human well-being is best advanced within an institutional framework characterized by:
- Free markets
- Minimal government intervention
- Free trade
- The absence of excessive economic regulation
- Strong protections for individual property rights
The application of these principles must be sensitive to national context and social equity. The central idea remains: Economic vitality is best achieved when government creates the enabling environment. The private sector leads in innovation, value creation, and growth.
NOTES:
- Tourism, encompassing MICE services, stands out with a significant 10% contribution to global GDP. It highlights its role as a major economic driver.
- Extraction industries and the sports sector contribute notably. However, their combined impact is still less than that of manufacturing or healthcare.
- Pageantry, while influential in cultural and promotional contexts, represents a smaller fraction of global economic activity.
- In contrast, sectors like manufacturing, finance, and healthcare collectively dominate global GDP contributions, underscoring the importance of diversified economic development.
The private sector is the principal engine of national revenue and economic growth. The sector should ensure that human rights are upheld in the pursuit of profit. This is in its own long-term interest. Failure to do so undermines social trust. It ultimately threatens the sustainability and longevity of individual enterprises. The sector as a whole is also at risk.
This responsibility belongs not only to corporate leaders but to every individual within the sector. The private sector must take full ownership of national systems, including:
- Logistics and transport infrastructure
- Creative & sports industries
- Healthcare systems
- Agriculture value chains
- Building and construction
- Housing
- Energy, water, and digital infrastructure (data)
While sectors like the creative and sports industries add cultural value, they are supportive, not foundational (see below). They help a nation celebrate achievements, but are not core economic drivers. Likewise, ICT and the digital economy is a vital enabler. It reinforces performance, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing. Both sectors remain central to long-term sustainability.
3. Infrastructure Must Be Privately Built and Sustained
Infrastructure—whether in transport, housing, energy, or healthcare—should be financed and developed by the private sector.
This reflects a necessary shift in mindset. National development should be led by those who create value. It should not be administered by the state.
For this to happen, the private sector must have access to earned resources—not allocations obtained through government tenders. A high-performing private sector reinvests its own revenues rather than relying on public procurement.
Capital prematurely locked in generational wealth is redirected to fuel domestic production
Primary sectors and manufacturing—which have already absorbed significant investment, possibly in the trillions—must also shift. Much of this capital remains locked in property. Some of it has flowed out of the country as payments for imported goods. Now, a portion sits idle as private assets or generational wealth. Will somebody do the math on these purchases and investments—particularly since the 1970s and 1980s? To reverse this trend, these goods and resources must be redirected to fuel domestic production. This will transform these sectors into productive engines. They need to become export-oriented engines of national value creation.
No longer viable to produce for two million only
It is no longer viable to produce merely for a population of two million. These industries must expand their markets and export at scale to the 4–8 billion people globally. The revenue from such scale can fund infrastructure, without dependency on foreign capital or subsidies.
This transformation depends on enabling institutions. Agencies such as MITI, BITC, and MIR must move from being gatekeepers to market-makers and global demand enablers. Their role is to:
- Create international demand for Botswana-made goods and services
- Build and support export channels
- Ensure local products meet global standards
When value is created in Botswana that meets global demand, the world will invest. They will do so not because we ask but because we offer something worth investing in.
Rights to secure land and efficient allocation
Additionally, agricultural productivity cannot be scaled without secure land rights, efficient allocation, and an enabling environment for investment. Land must function as an economic asset—not merely a cultural or administrative claim.
Key reforms must include:
- Guaranteeing land tenure security for commercial and smallholder farmers
- Consolidating fragmented plots to enable production at scale
- Improving access to land for emerging producers
- Aligning infrastructure and zoning policies with agricultural potential
- Streamlining land board processes to reduce delays and uncertainty
Unless land governance is addressed with the same rigor as export readiness and infrastructure investment, agricultural growth will remain stunted. Land is foundational to production. No serious development strategy can proceed without confronting this challenge directly.
Expanding Through Regional Integration and Strategic Alliances
A critical part of Botswana’s global competitiveness must begin with the region. Regional integration happens through platforms such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It also occurs via the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These offer Botswana a powerful springboard. These frameworks:
- Expand market access for Botswana’s exports within Africa
- Allow for harmonization of regulatory standards, reducing trade barriers
- Enable Botswana to participate in or lead regional value chains
- Attract strategic investments by offering regional scale and logistical relevance
In parallel, forging bilateral and multilateral alliances with strategic partners in agriculture, energy, and technology is essential. These alliances will allow Botswana to leverage shared capabilities. They will accelerate its learning curve.
These partnerships must be grounded in performance. They are not charity. They are mutual economic strategies that expand production, employment, and competitiveness. When properly designed, regional and international alliances provide access to markets, know-how, and investment—without sacrificing sovereignty or long-term vision.
4. A Private Sector That Mirrors Public Inefficiency Is a Structural Risk
In many cases, the private sector has mirrored the inefficiencies of the public sector:
- Weak accountability
- Limited performance evaluation
- Excessive labour protections shielding underperformance
- A reluctance by courts and executives to enforce merit-based standards
When performance is neither measured nor rewarded, the sector fails its purpose. It becomes susceptible to corruption and eroded productivity. It can influence public systems, including the judiciary and executive, that serve private interests.
5. Education-Workforce Misalignment: Non-STEM Backgrounds Fall Short
Many are formally educated yet ill-equipped to meet the performance expectations of today’s private sector—especially in technical and productive sectors.
In fields such as agriculture and manufacturing, STEM capability is indispensable. These disciplines require system design, technical problem-solving, iterative problem-solving and applied implementation. The mismatch between educational preparation and sector demands limits national competitiveness and productivity.
6. The STEM Deficit is a Structural Barrier to Development
Without sufficient STEM expertise, the private sector cannot:
- Identify systemic gaps
- Design and implement solutions
- Complete and manage efficient value chains
Correcting Market Distortions Through STEM-Informed Agricultural Policy
One example is the misalignment between national grocery chains and local agricultural producers. Currently, major chains have unrestricted access to public markets, sidelining local farmers who lack the influence to compete. This creates a closed system. Chains dominate both supply and retail. They exclude the very producers who are also their consumers.
STEM-informed policy (mathematics in particular) can correct these structural distortions. If national chains are allowed to operate in the public markets, then:
- Ownership should be barred from also being their primary supplier, to prevent conflicts of interest, or
- A local sourcing quota (e.g., 80%) should be mandated to support domestic producers.
Such measures ensure that money circulating in public markets reaches the hands of local farmers. These earnings are spent and reinvested locally. This spending gives rise to a private sector capable of funding national infrastructure. It sustains growth from within.
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Rethinking Drought: Working With, Not Against, the Water Cycle
Our prevailing approach to drought is largely reactive and adversarial. We invest in crops engineered to resist drought, develop irrigation systems designed to minimize water loss, and breed plant varieties that retain moisture by limiting transpiration. Yet in doing so, we overlook a basic scientific principle taught in early education: the rain cycle depends on water vapor released through evaporation—from land and sea—and transpiration from plants.
Rather than amplifying this cycle, many current drought-resistance measures suppress it. Drip irrigation, for instance, delivers water only to plant roots, leaving the broader soil ecosystem dry. Similarly, drought-tolerant crops are often selected for their ability to conserve water, reducing transpiration and thus limiting the atmospheric moisture necessary for cloud formation and rainfall.
The consequence is cumulative and severe. As the land loses its capacity to contribute moisture to the air, the water cycle is disrupted. This often triggers violent, compensatory storms that bring pests and diseases—but not sustained rain. In their wake, they strip away topsoil, degrade land quality, and deepen drought conditions.
We must shift the question from “How do we survive drought?” to “How do we regenerate rain?” The sun will continue to heat the earth—but if there is no moisture to draw upward, no rain will return. Our agricultural practices and policies must align with the physics, chemistry, and biology of the natural water cycle—not work against them.
This is a systems problem. And it requires a systems-thinking solution—rooted in STEM disciplines—to repair the disconnect between well-intended interventions and the ecological realities they are meant to address.
7. STEM Strategy is Critically Missing from National Policy
There is a glaring absence of STEM strategy at the national level. Without it, neither the public nor private sectors are equipped for the complexity and demands of modern economies. A robust national future depends on building a society deeply capable in STEM—one that can design, innovate, and lead.
8. Shifting System-Building to the Private Sector Reduces Dependency and Abuse
Allowing the private sector to compete in designing infrastructure shifts the system from entitlement to performance.
This transition reduces reliance on government-led development, which is often hampered by:
- Inefficiencies in procurement
- Mismanagement of public funds
- Bottlenecks in decision-making
Instead, a results-driven private sector promotes innovation, fiscal discipline, and infrastructure growth tied to real productivity.
9. Over-reliance on Foreign Investment Masks Deeper Structural Weakness
Dependency on foreign investment does not solve the fundamental issue. The country has a limited ability to generate internal revenue through productive work.
Until that story changes, structural transformation will remain elusive. Furthermore, when foreign investments yield limited returns and are trapped in procurement cycles, they fail to strengthen national resilience. This weakens fiscal capacity and autonomy when resources are needed most.
10. Entertainment, Sports, and ICT Are Enablers—Not the Core of Economic Purpose
Creative, sports, and ICT sectors play valuable roles—but they do not constitute the foundation of the economy.
- Creative and sports industries, even when dominated by youth, are supportive rather than foundational. They flourish in celebration of economic success, not as its source.
- ICT is a strategic enabler—scaling performance in other sectors—but it must serve real economic production.
Youth must be placed where their energy has the highest return: agriculture, manufacturing, and productive value chains. A resilient economy depends not on entertainment or digitization alone, but on the ability to produce and sustain real value.
11. Lack of Accountability Undermines Learning and Decision-Making
A culture of avoiding consequences—prevalent in both public and parts of the private sector—undermines progress.
When salaries remain static despite economic decline, there is no incentive to learn or improve. This is especially concerning in countries where the public sector is the largest employer—dragging down private sector performance with it.
It is not the role of foreign investors to elevate national standards or to teach performance excellence. That responsibility rests with the country and its citizens.
This mindset begins at home. The pursuit of “safe” white-collar jobs has often been valued over the discipline of productive, risk-informed decision-making.
When performance is neither rewarded nor punished, it leads to a concerning culture. In such a culture, individuals may ‘get away with murder’—figuratively, and sometimes literally. Crimes go scot-free, unnoticed or even approved by the courts. Such a system removes the conditions necessary for individuals to grow up. It prevents them from maturing and assuming personal responsibility for their actions. This would have debilitating effects when forming new relationships or building teams and organizations.
An economy that does not reward learning or penalize systemic error cannot build the leadership necessary for sustained growth. It also cannot build the workforce necessary for sustained growth, in either the public or private sectors.
STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS RANKED BY FOUNDATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
This document is ordered below from the most fundamental solution to the least.
TIER 1: MOST FUNDAMENTAL SOLUTIONS (Core System Shifts)
6. The STEM Deficit is a Structural Barrier to Development
7. STEM Strategy is Critically Missing from National Policy
5. Education-Workforce Misalignment: Non-STEM Backgrounds Fall Short
1. The Role of the Public Sector: Governance, Not Revenue Generation
2. Revenue Generation is a Private Sector Responsibility
3. Infrastructure Must Be Privately Built and Sustained
Expanding Through Regional Integration and Strategic Alliances (integrated under Section 3)
Land Rights and Agricultural Productivity (within Section 3)
TIER 2: MID-TIER STRUCTURAL RISKS AND ENABLERS
4. A Private Sector That Mirrors Public Inefficiency Is a Structural Risk
11. Lack of Accountability Undermines Learning and Decision-Making
8. Shifting System-Building to the Private Sector Reduces Dependency and Abuse
9. Over-reliance on Foreign Investment Masks Deeper Structural Weakness
TIER 3: LEAST FUNDAMENTAL (SUPPORTIVE / DOWNSTREAM LEVERS)
10. Entertainment, Sports, and ICT Are Enablers—Not the Core of Economic Purpose
Conclusion: This is a call to action—not only to policy leaders, but to the private sector, educators, institutions, and families. Botswana’s economy will transform not by managing scarcity. It will transform by unleashing the performance of its people and systems.
We must shift our view from managing what we have to building what we need. If this requires tightening our belts, then it must be embraced as a national prerogative. The imperative is clear: growth must be powered from within, not imported or outsourced
NATIONAL STRATEGY TO REBUILD STEM CAPABILITY FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION
To reverse a weak national STEM base—particularly after three generations of underinvestment—a country needs a comprehensive strategy. It should adopt a dual-track national strategy. This strategy must address both immediate economic needs and long-term systems development. Here’s a cohesive, high-impact approach:
1. Create a National STEM Acceleration Framework (Short- to Medium-Term)
Design a national program focused on retooling current and upcoming working-age adults (15–45 years) through:
- STEM bridging programs for non-STEM graduates (e.g., engineers from arts backgrounds)
- Sector-specific technical bootcamps (e.g., manufacturing, food processing, agritech, energy tech)
- Adult vocational and skills retraining hubs in regional centers
- Fast-track technical diplomas and certificates (6–18 months) aligned with economic diversification targets
2. Build National STEM Apprenticeships & Internships (Industry-Led)
Partner local and foreign private sector firms with government to:
- Launch paid apprenticeships in sectors like agro-processing, renewable energy, data infrastructure, etc.
- Offer on-the-job training with international experts (reverse mentorship)
- Tie tax or subsidy incentives to companies that train and absorb workers
3. Leverage Strategic International Partnerships (Talent Import & Export)
Until domestic talent is ready, bridge the gap by:
- Importing STEM-capable managers and technical mentors into core industries under strict knowledge transfer terms
- Exporting top students and professionals abroad for 2–5 year placements in innovation-driven sectors with return agreements
- Forming STEM cooperation pacts with countries like South Korea, Singapore, Germany, India, and Finland
4. Establish a National STEM Curriculum and School-to-Work Pipeline (10–15 Years Horizon)
- Mandate computational thinking, systems science, coding, and applied science as core curriculum from primary levels
- Convert underperforming schools into STEM-specialized academies across districts
- Link school programs with internships, national labs, and industry visits
- Incentivize teachers to reskill in STEM through scholarships, promotions, and salary uplift
5. Mobilize National Narrative & Cultural Reset
- Launch a mass public campaign that redefines national success around problem-solving, engineering, and productivity
- Profile and celebrate local STEM heroes and inventors
- Align national holidays, awards, and media around makers, builders, and technical innovators—not just entertainers or politicians
6. Fund Results-Based STEM Education & Startups
- Use a portion of sovereign wealth, natural resource rents, or regional grants to:
- Fund technical colleges and university R&D partnerships
- Back youth-led STEM startups in key diversification sectors
- Pay for performance-based STEM scholarships
7. Establish a National STEM Governance Body
- Create a STEM Diversification Council reporting to the President or Prime Minister
- With authority to integrate policy across education, industry, economic planning, and trade
- Charged with annual public reporting on STEM readiness and workforce transition metrics
This is not a one-ministry initiative—it requires a whole-of-government, whole-of-economy commitment. The strategy must view STEM not as an education issue. It must see it as a sovereign capability agenda that is tied directly to national wealth and independence.
Systems Thinking Research & Leadership Development Institute (STRLDi) 
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