Chinese TV to help Botswana setup an agriculture TV channel

A Chinese delegation headed by China Central Television (CCTV-7) Agricultural Program has agreed to help Botswana setup an agriculture television channel.

The television channel was proposed by Botswana’s Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security (MoA), during the China Africa Agriculture Cooperation and Development Summit which was organised by Global Max Media Group (GMMG) on Thursday.

The Ministry’s request was inspired by the fact that Botswana only has one television station – which is state owned. Hence, airing agricultural programs can only be limited to an hour per week.


To this end MoA, working hand in hand with GMMG, will meet and discuss the way forward with GMMG after the summit. Mmadima Nyati, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Support Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, welcomed China’s visit citing that Botswana as a country is striving to make agriculture one of its functional strategies in diversifying the economy. Therefore, she said her Ministry welcomes any type of agricultural investments that China may have in mind for Botswana. She spoke during the part of the half day summit hosted by her Ministry.


Botswana’s agricultural sector has not been performing well due to the fact that Botswana is a semi-arid country, with limited and unpredictable rainfall – harsh climatic conditions worsened by climate change. On his part, Head of Delegation and Director of China Central Television (CCTV-7) Agricultural Program, Zhao Zekun said they want to deepen relations between Botswana and China by availing Botswana citizens with information and expertise on agricultural technologies. This he said will ensure that Africans, not just Batswana, have better food.


Zhao and his 21 member delegation that consists of media personnel from CCTV-7, pharmaceutical company representatives, and those from the advertising sector among other potential investors from China attended the Botswana summit after visiting Namibia and South Africa in the same vain. CCTV-7 offered Botswana Television its agricultural content, as showcasing farming in Africa and Asia, with the establishment of the television channel solely focused on agriculture, more advantages are however envisioned for the country.


The CCTV-7 Agricultural Program runs a daily broadcaster for 8 hours, has 14 agricultural TV columns and its audience coverage reaches 1.3 million.  Ranked first in China, CCTV-7 has a history of over 60 years, years of experience that Botswana found itself wanting to benefit and learn from. The interest emanates from the fact that the media is seen as better placed in spreading information on new farming techniques and technology across the world, reaching the rural poor.


Should this cooperation be successful, it is anticipated to contribute towards the development of the local agricultural sector. During the summit, delegates from both sides shared notes, exchanged ideas on agricultural development, and delved into how the media can facilitate successful implementation, thereby producing tangible results for the ultimate growth of the agricultural industry.


However, CCTV-7 endeavours to do more, which is why it encouraged is partners to build a comprehensive platform for Sino-foreign agricultural cooperation and exchanges, aiming to let more Chinese agricultural enterprises ‘go abroad’ and ‘introduce’ more overseas high-quality agricultural businesses, so that they can make their own efforts for the win-win development of China and other countries along ‘the Belt and Road’.