VSAT technology boosts agriculture in Botswana

According to a survey by the consultancy agrilinks shows that over 60% of Africa's working population is engaged in agriculture, which represents one third of the continent's GDP. However, the sector is plagued by the use of outdated methods and tools, hence the need for rapid modernization.

The lack of modernized and updated methods of agriculture has been a setback for the agricultural sector, which has attributed to the decline in production. Market access, new trends and the best tools can be resolved through digitization and high-speed information. The recent introduction of VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) technology by Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has seen local farmers take advantage of development to improve their operations. There are signs that the expansion of high-speed internet coverage in settlements and rural areas has boosted agricultural production locally. Farmers use the internet to access market information, agricultural production implements and vital details that influence agricultural decisions.

The VSAT technology implemented allows national coverage even in the most remote parts of the country, giving farmers internet connectivity through its vast telecommunications network. The results have already started to appear especially in the Kaká region, which boasts cattle ranches.

Through the contribution of this technology that is part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is a matter of time that the drone technology that supports numerous important applications for agriculture begins to be fully used by local farmers. Drone technology increases efficiency in certain aspects of agriculture. From crop monitoring to planting, livestock management, crop spraying and irrigation mapping. VSAT and such technology will definitely work smoothly even in the most remote parts of the country, says BTC technicians.

The people of Botswana and supporters of such technologies are adamant that the only way to boost agriculture locally is to follow the path of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “These technologies have the potential to have a positive impact on the productivity and profitability of the agricultural sector, especially during this period of COVID-19, which has greatly disrupted the supply chain worldwide. With the help of technology in agriculture, Botswana has the potential to be a self-sustaining agricultural country, ”said one farmer.