Author: Daily News

The Okavango Delta is often described as a ‘miracle of nature’, a luxurious and emerald maze of water pulsing through the heart of the Kalahari Desert.

But for the researchers at the Okavango Research Institute (ORI), monitoring this UNESCO World Heritage Site has recently felt like trying to navigate a high-speed world with a broken compass.

For years, the institute’s computers, the very engines required to process complex climate data and wildlife patterns, had grown sluggish and outdated.

“Our existing equipment has become largely unusable,” admitted ORI director, Dr Casper Bonyongo when he received a donation of eight high-end Geographical Information Systems (GIS) computers worth P400 000 recently from the US Embassy.

This was not just a technical inconvenience, but a bottleneck for conservation. Without the processing power to handle large datasets, critical insights into flooding, fire dynamics and habitat loss remained locked behind frozen screens.

The GIS machines allow researchers to layer vast amounts of data including satellite imagery, rainfall records and animal migration paths, into high-resolution digital maps.

“Graduates and researchers alike will greatly benefit from this enhanced capacity. We can now support complex simulations and sophisticated spatial modelling that were simply impossible before,” said Dr Bonyongo.

For the students at the University of Botswana, this is not just about new hardware but about ‘future-ready’ skills.

UB acting vice chancellor, Mr Dawid Katzke believes these tools will bridge the gap between classroom theory and the urgent, interdisciplinary research needed to protect one of the world’s most significant wetland ecosystems.

While the technology is impressive, the sentiment behind it is deeper. At the handover ceremony, Acting Minister of Higher Education, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile said the donation was a milestone in an enduring partnership between Botswana and the US.

“It is a partnership built on a shared realisation. The challenges of the 21st century including climate change, disaster risk reduction and biodiversity loss, cannot be solved with 20th-century tools” Mr Ntlhaile said.

US Ambassador, Mr Howard Van Vranken echoed the same sentiments, noting that the donation underscored the global importance of local research.

“To protect the Delta is to protect a piece of the world’s heritage and that requires data that is as precise as it is timely. We are delighted to support ORI in analysing the Okavango Delta and recognising the critical role research plays in tackling global and regional challenges,” he said.

He added that the arrival of the eight computers was only the beginning. The US has demonstrated continued commitment to ORI, with plans already in motion for a high-capacity server and an expansion of the ORI laboratory.

As the Delta faces an uncertain future shaped by a changing climate, its guardians now have the digital ‘eyes’ they need to see what is coming. 

With every map generated and every flood-cycle simulated, Botswana is proving that while the Delta’s beauty is timeless, its preservation requires cutting-edge innovation

Government is looking into a comprehensive review of the Road Traffic Act of 1972.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae said this at a kgotla meeting in Lentsweletau recently. He emphasised that the current legal framework was no longer equipped to handle modern road challenges.

He noted that the primary legislation governing Botswana’s roads dated back to 1972, with only minor adjustments made in 2008. He argued that the landscape of transportation had shifted drastically over the last five decades.

“By 1972, there were no high-performance cars or the diverse range of vehicle models we see today,” Mr Salakae explained.

He stressed that the original Act was designed for a different era of driver behaviour and vehicle technology, hence the review was essential to protect lives in the 21st century. The minister warned habitual traffic offenders, stating that government had been forced to take a harder line due to widespread disregard for road safety advice.

He further highlighted the tragic loss of life during the recent festive season as a catalyst for the changes. He added that new provisions would allow magistrates to immediately charge drivers suspected of being impaired by any substance, not just alcohol, that caused dizziness or loss of consciousness and bypassing lengthy investigative delays.

Under the revised law, he said fines for unlicensed minors driving vehicles would jump from the current range of P500 to P2,000 to a steeper P3,000 to P5,000 or up to 12 months in prison. Notably, he said adults who permitted minors to drive would also face charges.

Beyond safety, the minister said, the new Bill aimed to eliminate the ‘logjam’ of long queues at the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS) offices. On one hand, he indicated that under the old 1972 regulations, brand-new vehicles were required to undergo immediate testing at the DRTS, a process he described as a source of ‘unnecessary stalemates.’

Furthermore, he said the proposed law allowed owners of new vehicles to register immediately for security and permits and defer the roadworthiness test for 12 months.  After the first year, he said owners must provide proof of testing from an approved facility or face penalties.

While the minister warned that ‘tough charges’ were coming for those who believed that they were above the law, he maintained that the door was still open for dialogue.

“The law has many sections that need to be fully understood,” Mr Salakae said, adding that his ministry remained ready to receive advice from the public to ensure the final version of the Act served the best interests of all Batswana

Key projects in Lobatse, which include, the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) New Meat Value Addition and Secondary Processing Plant and the BMC Tannery Revitalisation Project are progressing well.

Touring the projects, Lobatse Member of Parliament, Mr Kamal Jacobs, appreciated that
the New Meat Value Addition and Secondary Processing Plant, which would replace the current cannery (ECCO) plant built in 1978, was well on track and had engaged locals.

The project was awarded to China Jiansu at an amount of over P218 million.

Also, he toured the Lobatse Tannery Revitalisation Project done by Colic Construction Development Company at over P212 million.

It involves refurbishment of the tannery to process hides.

Mr Jacobs said over 200 Batswana had been employed under the two projects.

Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, on Friday, engaged both Pandamatenga commercial and subsistence farmers to appreciate damages caused by the recent heavy downpours.

Over 8 000 hectares of crops from sorghum sunflower maize, onion, tomatoes were affected.

Dr Dikoloti assured farmers that they would be assisted accordingly after assessments on damages were completed as he had brought along a company that specialised in agricultural insurance.

He acknowledged that the rain had negatively impacted farmers, as they would have to wait weeks before resuming operations.

He however commended farmers for their resilience and hard work in ensuring that Batswana were well-fed over the years.

Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers committee executive member, Mr Ryan Neal revealed that while the assessment was still ongoing, all farmers in the area were affected as their farms were still submerged in water.

Mr Neal also expressed the need for an insurance company and all relevant stakeholders to expedite assessments so that farmers would return to their farms.

Their hope, as farmers, he said was to rebuild and replant to produce a bountiful harvest like last season