Ministry of Lands and Agriculture

Department of Animal Production (DAP)

• To make the livestock sub-sector competitive and reduce the country’s reliance on imports of livestock products that can be viably produced in the country.
• To transfer skills and technologies on the various animal science disciplines to make livestock production attractive and profitable to farmers, thus creating employment opportunities, increasing rural incomes and reducing rural urban migration.
• It provides expert advice to livestock farmers on livestock improvement and product development in terms of breeding, nutrition, housing, processing and optimal use of rangelands.
• It also assists subsistence farmers to transform their operations to commercial levels, as well as, enabling commercial farmers to upgrade their level of management and technology application.

Department of Crop Production (DCP)

• To make arable sub-sector competitive and reduce the country’s reliance on imports through assisting farmers to upgrade their level of management and technology application.
• It controls pests of national importance and provides an advisory role on matters relating to agricultural resource conservation.

Department of Agribusiness Promotion (DABP)

• To promote a commercialized, diversified, sustainable and competitive agricultural sector through business skills transfer, promotion of agricultural cooperatives and associations, market access negotiations, investment promotion and promotion of market led production.

Department of Veterinary Services (DVS)

• Provides animal and public health services to achieve sustainable and competitive livestock industry through prevention and control of nationally and economically important animal diseases.

Department of Plant Health (DPH)

• It serves as the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Botswana, responsible for plant health and implementing the Plant Protection Act (Cap 35.02) to prevent the introduction, spread, and establishment of plant pests, facilitate trade, and comply with international obligations, including the international Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). 

Department of Corporate Services (DCS)

• Coordinates resources, and provides administrative, corporate communication and other support services to other Ministry departments to enable them to deliver on their mandates

Division of Agricultural Information and Public Relations (DAIPR)

• Coordinates the public relations function of the Ministry.
• It is also responsible for the dissemination of agricultural information and development of teaching aids. 

Department of Lands

• It is  the focal point for Land Governance, Government Immovable Asset / Estate Management and Conveyancing matters. Its specific mandate includes advice to Government Departments and stakeholders on policy and operational issues on the following:
  • Planning, Acquisition, Operation & Maintenance, and Disposal of government immovable property, including land;
  • Initiation, Development and Monitoring of implementation of land related policy and legislation;
  • Facilitation and coordination of land related and property development programmes and projects;
  • Overseeing the administration of state land and tribal land;
  • Management of government estate / immovable assets, including state land;
  • Advising government in land dispute resolution and general land management and administration.

Department of Surveys and Mapping

• It is the main national surveying and mapping organization of the country and its mandate is to provide basic geospatial information and services for socio-economic development
• The collection, management and disseminate geospatial information using surveying and mapping technologies such as Remote Sensing, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Geo-spatial Information Systems (GIS) and aerial photography and satellite imagery.
• Provides professional services and advice to Government institutions, Parastatals and private sector on all matters related to the above technologies and efficient use of geo-spatial data.
• National Mapping Programme to facilitate mapping at various scales across the country such as village mapping, delineation of electoral boundaries, Tourism, Facilities Mapping (Schools, health, Wildlife Management Areas,) etc.
• Delimitation, demarcation and surveying of national and international boundaries
• Execution of cadastral survey countrywide and Provision of Control through geodetic surveys
• Regulates Cadastral surveying, topographic surveying and mapping in Botswana through statutory examination and approval of cadastral surveys to facilitate registration of title as per the Land Survey Act and Regulations (CAP. 33:01)

Department of  Town and  Country Planning

• It is mandated with the responsibility to facilitate orderly and sustainable spatial development of land in Botswana.
• The activities of the Department are guided by the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 2013 which makes provision for the orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas to preserve and improve the amenities thereof for the regulation of physical planners and for matters incidental thereof or connected therewith
• Other legal instruments which derive their legitimacy from the TCPA, include the General Development Order of 2014, the Urban Development Standards of 1995, the Development Control Code (DCC) of 2013 and the National Spatial Plan.

               In addition to the functions prescribed by the Act, the Department also:

• Formulate National Physical Planning Policies, as well as facilitates and manages orderly and sustainable spatial development of human settlements in Botswana.
• Advises Ministries, Local Authorities, Government Departments, Private Sector, NGOs on Town & Country planning matters and determines optimal use of land.
• Advises the Ministry of Land, Water and Sanitation on town and country planning matters.

Ministry Parastatals and key functions

Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)

• It is mandated to purchase and slaughter livestock, process and sell meat and other animal products to promote the interests of the livestock industry.

Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB)

• It provides a market for all locally grown scheduled crops such as cereals, pulses (beans) and oils seeds whilst ensuring that adequate supplies exist for sale to customers at affordable prices.
• It acts as a one stop agricultural service center to the farming community and general public.

Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI)

• Its mandate is to support the livestock industry by conducting research and manufacturing of all kinds of vaccines for sale throughout the world.

National Agricultural Research and Development Institution (NARDI) 

NARDI aims to increase the contribution of Agriculture to Botswana’s GDP by

•  Improving utilization of agricultural produce and natural products;
• Fostering inclusion and knowledge transfer initiatives;
• Providing innovative solutions and adaptations to climate change, yield improvement and commercialization of agriculture across Botswana’s Agro-Ecological Zones.
• Overall, the Company has a vision to be a renowned transformative agricultural Research and Development institute, and a mission to generate innovative solutions for the agricultural sector.

Botswana Meat Industry Regulatory Authority (MIRA)

• Its mandated to promote the interests of the livestock and meat industry to ensure the profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of the industry including accelerating innovation, research and development of the livestock and meat industry. 

  Functions of MIRA are to: 

• Develop, implement and monitor strategies and plans designed to achieve and maintain food security by promoting the trade of livestock and meat products and further improve efficiency in meat production and processing
• Regulate quantities and quality of imported and exported livestock and meat products;
• Regulate the marketing of livestock and meat products
• Promote research, development and innovation across the value chain in the livestock and meat industry
• Regulate the grading of livestock and meat products
• License abattoirs and cold storages
• Register and licence meat processors, meat graders, livestock transporters, livestock buyers and animal traceability officers and other dealers of livestock and meat products for the  purpose of their identification and involvement in promotion of the livestock and meat industry;
• Impose levies in respect of livestock and meat products;
• Develop and promote livestock production quality assurance programmes;
• To regulate the transportation of livestock and meat products  
   

Real Estate Advisory Council (REAC)

• To provide for the regulation of activities and conduct of the real estate profession in Botswana and other matters incidental thereto.
• It is also mandated to set standards and ensure compliance to best practice standards

Botswana Veterinary Surgeons Council (BVSC)

• It is mandated to provide for the registration and control of veterinary surgeons and for other matters incidental thereto and connected with the practice of veterinary surgery and veterinary medicine
• Regulate the practice of veterinary medicine and para-professionals and the registration of persons practising such professions;
• Determine the minimum standards of training required for degrees, diplomas and certificates entitling the holders thereof to be registered to practise as veterinary surgeons or para-professionals;
• Exercise effective control over the professional conduct of persons practising as veterinary surgeons or para-professionals;
• Determine the standards of professional conduct of persons practising as veterinary surgeons or para-professionals;
• Encourage and promote efficiency in, and responsibility with regard to, the practice of veterinary medicine and that of para-professionals;
• Protect the interests of veterinary surgeons and para-professionals and to deal with any matter relating to such interests;
• Maintain and enhance the prestige, status and dignity of veterinary surgeons and para-professionals and the integrity of persons practising such professions;
• Manage its own budget through a subvention or grant from government until such time as the Council is able to source its own funding; and
• Do such other things as may be necessary for, or conducive to, the achievement of the objects of the Council.
   

Land Surveyor's Council 

• Responsible for registering land surveyors and regulating their conduct;
• It sets and carry out such tests and examinations as are prescirbed in Section 7 (2)  of the Land Survey Act Chapter 33:01;
• It hears disciplinary allegations, and carry out discplinary proceedings where neccessary, against a land surveyor for professional misconduct
• Performs such other functions as may be assigned