Today Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Gaborone City Council held a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony, marking a pivotal moment in the advancement of collaborative efforts between the two institutions. This agreement underscores a commitment to foster mutual interests and objectives through a formalised partnership.

 

The signing ceremony served as a public demonstration of both parties' dedication to their shared goals, highlighting their intent to combine resources, expertise, and strategic visions. In this MOU, GCC commits to assisting BUAN with providing a learning and research environment both short-term and long-term for BUAN learners after mutual agreement by both parties. It will also provide the BUAN learners and staff with the opportunity to collaborate with GCC staff for the benefit of the Gaborone community. BUAN pledges to engage in GCC activities for the betterment of communities. Upon endorsement and mutual agreement, BUAN will send its students to GCC facilities for industrial attachment. It will also assist with research on identified GCC problem areas and share research and technology information for the development of the city and Gaborone community.

 

The memorandum represents a strategic alignment that aims to enhance operational efficiency, expand opportunities, and drive innovation. The ceremony not only celebrated the formalisation of this partnership but also set the stage for future initiatives and cooperative ventures that promise to deliver substantial benefits to both organisations and the broader community they serve.

 

The parties intend to share necessary and relevant resources, i.e., providing professional and technical support in researching, collating information, undertaking capacity-building initiatives, or attending relevant conferences, seminars, and workshops related to the objective of the MoU. Furthermore, they intend to leverage strategic partnerships between BUAN and GCC member entities.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, His Honour, the Mayor of Gaborone City, Austin Abraham, said that GCC's commitment to improving the outlook of Gaborone as a sustainable and global investment hub depends on its partnership with BUAN. He said that the institution’s location at the entrance of Gaborone city makes it attractive and appealing with the Agrivoltaic solar panels that turn with the sun, it is a mesmerising view centred on technological innovation. “The 21st century presents new and unknown challenges and opportunities that can be addressed through research. BUAN, with its exceptional record, is a force to reckon with for GCC in addressing challenges such as flooding, carbon emissions, and, of course, the illumination/lighting of the city,” said the mayor.

 

During the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, said that sustainability is central to BUAN’s identity as it is the basic framework towards addressing major challenges facing urbanisation at both local and global scales. It is the best pathway towards ameliorating the developmental challenges facing Gaborone. Therefore, this MoU will give GCC access to expertise that reposes here in BUAN for the benefit of our beautiful city. He also said that BUAN takes pride in nurturing future leaders, steeped in the ethos of sustainability, fostering innovation, and contributing to the well-being of our citizens. Therefore, this partnership will make communities self-sufficient in food and nutrition security.

 

At BUAN we believe that this is a long lasting partnership that will catapult the city of Gaborone and the country at large to greater heights as the two parties are willing to extend a hand to each other and help where necessary.