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A quiet revolution is taking root at Seroto Ward in Tonota. 

Ms Lady Moruakgomo, a 35-year-old horticulturalist, is cultivating a brighter future for herself and her community through mushroom production.

As the second person in her village to venture into mushroom production, she is proving that with the right skills and passion, even the most unlikely crops can yield a bountiful harvest.

“I am sharing my skills and expertise with fellow women, proving that even the most unlikely crops can yield a bountiful harvest,” she said.

Ms Moruakgomo’s journey began with a training programme sponsored by NARDI, where she mastered the art of mushroom cultivation. Her dedication has earned her reputation as a skilled trainer, and she is now passing on her knowledge to other women in the community.

“I want to empower other women in the society. We women have to support each other, and that is the only way to get out of poverty,” she added.

The process of growing mushrooms is labour intensive, but Ms Moruakgomo is undeterred. She uses cleaned maize straws, soaking them overnight, boiling them to disinfect and then filling them into plastic bags for germination in a dark room.

The mushrooms are grown in a dark house, where they are kept for three weeks before being exposed to sunlight by opening windows.

“I have never felt so empowered,” she said, carefully placing oyster mushrooms in a plastic bag. 

Her dark room is a demonstration to the power of entrepreneurship, providing for her family and inspiring other women. Ms Moruakgomo’s venture is more than just a business, it is a beacon of hope. She is creating jobs, promoting sustainable farming and putting nutritious food on tables.

“Mushrooms are a superfood. They are packed with protein and goodness,” said Ms Moruakgomo.

“It is a labourious business, but the returns are worth it. Mushrooms are fragile and very sensitive to anything surrounding them. It is a high value crop, but it requires patience and care.”

With a huge market demand, particularly in Francistown, Ms Moruakgomo, whose mushrooms are the first batch she has ever grown, is confident that her produce will find eager buyers.

With the market research that she conducted pointing to a sprawling market, her target is chain stores and food outlets like restaurants.

“This is just the beginning,” she said, envisioning a future where mushroom farming transforms lives.

Tonota-based Agricultural Scientific Officer, Ms Amanda Molantwa is all praises for Ms Moruakgomo’s initiative; and sees it as a timely answer to the huge demand for mushrooms locally.

Ms Molantwa said with dedication and expertise, Ms Moruakgomo could prove that even the smallest initiatives could have a profound impact.

“Women need to support each other to get out of poverty and I am grateful that with the mushroom production, she is certainly doing just that,” she added.

Ms Molantwa is also urging women to consider mushroom production to improve their livelihoods.

“It is a high value crop with huge market and demand. With the right skills and support, women can graduate from poverty and achieve financial independence,” she said.

Ms Molantwa explained that with determination and passion, Ms Moruakgomo was cultivating a brighter tomorrow, one mushroom at a time.

When asked about common diseases affecting mushrooms, Ms Molantwa explained that their fragile nature and ability to ‘code’ surrounding smells made them susceptible to even minor threats.

“They can absorb smells from nearby substances, including harmful chemicals,” she noted.

Despite the challenges, Ms Molantwa highlighted the benefits of mushroom production.

“Mushrooms are not only delicious, but they are also packed with nutrients and numerous health benefits,” she said.

She said they were rich in protein, fibre, and antioxidants, and that mushrooms could help boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and even support cancer prevention.

Ms Molantwa’ s appeal is clear, “Join the mushroom revolution and take control of your financial future.” 

The emptiness of the public gallery tent pitched along Parliamentary Grounds at Annex II during the presentation of the National Budget Speech on Monday may have prompted legendary American musician Bob Dylan to belt out his famous tune, “the times, they are ‘a changing.”

Or fellow Grammy award winner Prince, to similarly sing, “Sing o’ the Times.”

Filled to the brim just a year earlier with an excited citizenry when Vice President and Minister of Finance Mr Ndaba Gaolathe delivered his maiden budget address, and over the past two State-of-the-Nation Addresses (SONA), the public gallery that in the recent past captured a highly expectant public mood was now empty.

Perhaps the sheer weight of sustained economic recession characterised by high unemployment, rising costs of living, plus a foot and mouth disease outbreak and a national healthcare crisis conspired to shift the national mood.

As the public listened in on national radio, television and online platforms to hear if the despair could turn to hope, Mr Gaolathe, the man tasked with performing the national Houdini Act, spoke.

“We are fully aware of the realities facing our people,” Mr Gaolathe forthrightly acknowledged.

“Chief among them is the health crisis that has tested our nation’s resilience. At a time when our nation is already navigating economic and social pressures, the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Zone 6B has emerged as a dark cloud over our agricultural sector.”

Having candidly appreciated the deep seated, structural challenges Botswana faces, Mr Gaolathe pronounced the short term solutions- advanced talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to provide extensive health affordable supplies to normalise operations in the health system; and a National Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate the national response to FMD, among other interventions.

He then pronouced a new path towards the long terms solutions, in a budget titled: A New Era of Economic Transformation and Fiscal Prudence.

“The 2026-27 National Budget is anchored in and launches the Twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12) and the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP),” Mr Gaolathe said.

Key to this, is building “an inclusive and deep economy” through a reform process of halting wastage and taking tangible steps towards the upper income prosperous Botswana envisioned by the National Vision 2036.

He said the 2026/2027 Budget built directly on his maiden 2025-26 budget framework, with four key steps of halting financial wastage, stabilising the economy and preparing it for takeoff, initiating tangible steps of change and building a New Botswana.

Already the process had commenced to manage public spending more prudently, strengthening oversight institutions to safeguard public resources; and mobilising the private sector and society as active partners in restoring efficiency, discipline, and accountability, Mr Gaolathe revealed.

Now the BETP and NDP 12 would guide the nation towards the True North- “A high income Botswana that is digitally enabled, export driven, and economically diversified where every citizen is employed, empowered and fulfilled.”

The BETP was developed with the technical assistance of PEMANDU Associates, a Malaysian transformation and performance management consultancy firm that has been endorsed by American Ivy League universities Harvard and Princeton.

They have a record of assisting Malaysia transform into high income status, the UAE and its Emirate of Dubai establish a world class economy and also guided Rwanda and Tanzania develop policy reform, and Botswana hopes for such transformation.

Over the second half of 2025, the BETP identified 186 projects and initiatives across six economic priorities- agriculture, manufacturing, financial services and digitalisation, infrastructure, tourism as well as energy and mining. There are also three social sectors to be prioritised- healthcare, education and social protection.

“Government has developed a more structured, evidence based approach to project execution. Through the BETP, a set of strategically significant and transformative projects underwent rigorous analysis,” Mr Gaolathe said.

The Vice President added that transformational initiatives such as the Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Scheme, development of rail infrastructure and the upgrade of the A1 road will be delivered under NDP12 as part of state investment in economic enablers based on fiscal discipline and accountability, “deliberately building a new culture of project delivery anchored on value for money, integrity and results.”

He said government would lay a firm foundation for long term agriculture industrialisation driven through the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI), which was already developing national seed production self sufficiency.

Complementing this would be high impact technology driven initiatives including organic fertiliser, drone assisted crop nutrition, as well as the expansion of water melon value chains into juices, jams and other processed products, the Vice President revealed.

Also, the government had negotiated market access for fresh citrus exports to the European Union, Canada, the UAE, South Africa, Russia and Hong Kong, translating to strong performance of citrus exports from 2,790 tonnes in the 2024 season to 13,711 tonnes in 2025, a 390 per cent growth.

This typifies the future of a diversified export led economy that is envisioned to generate over 500,000 jobs over the next decade in fields such as manufacturing, agriculture, energy and mining, and increasing the country’s revenue base from heavy reliance on a diamond sector that is susceptible to external shocks.

As Vice President Gaolathe disembarked the Parliamentary Chamber podium, he had pronounced hope amid a climate of national despair. Now the nation awaits delivery. In the words of Karl Marx, “Philosophers have interpreted the world in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.”