Focused on Achieving Impact

Our expected results are aligned to the Country Programme Document (CPD) for the period 2022 – 2026. From the CPD, the project contributes to delivering Outcome 4 which seeks to enable Botswana to achieve strengthened resilience to shocks and emergencies and to be on a sustainable, equitable economic trajectory, reducing inequality, poverty, and unemployment. This outcome, which is wholly adopted from the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), is also aligned to the national priorities as captured by Vision 2036 Pillar 1 of Sustainable economic development.

Strengthened, participatory and resilient private sector and MSMEs to create green jobs through inclusive strategies.

The Flagship Project recognises the critical role that ought to be played by the private sector, including especially MSMEs to create jobs and alleviate the high unemployment rate. The results will be delivered through targeted inclusive strategies that support the growth and development of MSMEs. These results are to be realised through an increase in:

• Number of MSMEs across the country, in both urban and rural areas with innovative solutions to enhance product value addition. The increase in the number of MSMEs and their growth are necessary to harness their known potential to create jobs. For such MSMEs to sustainably exist, they will need to be productive and competitive against the existing businesses, both domestic and foreign whose products and services are consumed in the domestic market. Hence, the MSMEs will need to produce goods and services with the highest value addition by adopting and utilising innovative solutions.
• Number of MSMEs with innovative financing solutions to improve access to finance. For MSMEs to be productive and competitive, they will need to be supported to access financial solutions from all possible sources to enable them to close their resource gaps in their business activities.
• Number of MSMEs owned by youth, women and people living with disability that are benefiting from business development support initiatives. The success of MSMEs is dependent on their continual support of business development services, especially in the constantly changing business environment that is fuelled by the interconnectedness of international businesses. As a result, businesses that are not enabled to effectively improve their goods and services become less competitive and risk bankruptcy. Businesses owned by the disadvantaged groups, including youth, women and people with disabilities need specific and targeted measures (including affirmative action measures) for them to meaningfully participate in the business space. 

Robust research and development, innovation and digital approaches enabled at national and subnational levels for improved competitiveness and sustainable job creation. 

The project recognises the contribution of research and development, innovation, and digital approaches as critical catalysts to the improvement of competitiveness of products and services, which will in turn support the creation of sustainable jobs. The project will seek to deliver results by increasing the;

• Number of new market-ready products and services that are developed through innovative solutions.
• Number of locally developed R&D-led, innovative, and digital approaches tested towards improving products, competitiveness, and service provision.
• Number of new partnerships with private sector associations, academic and research and development institutions in research and development, innovation, and digital solutions.
• Number of start-up businesses borne out of R&D, innovative and digital solutions pursued.
• Number of jobs created as a result of adoption of innovation, R&D and digital solutions.