By Olisemeka Obeche
Botswana’s former President and distinguished winner of Mo Ibrahim prize for good governance in Africa, Festus Mogae has identified agricultural transformation and women empowerment as critical elements of inclusive growth and structural transformation in Africa.
Mogae who led Botswana through its remarkable economic progress era (1998 to 2008) highlighted the significant role mechanized agriculture and women empowerment have played in the socio-economic transformation of Rwanda. He spoke during a High Level Seminar on Inclusive Growth and Sustainability, where he lamented the poor attention given to agriculture across Africa.
“Agriculture is one area where we have failed to spend as much attention or as much as we should,” he moaned. “That is why I will continue to applaud the good work being done by Rwandan President (Paul Kagame) in this regard.
“The involvement of women in development he clarified”, “ensures almost automatic inclusive growth. This, he said, is so because women are “good in spending their incomes on things that benefits the family”.