GABORONE, April 30 (Xinhua) -- President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana on Thursday said it has become imperative for the southern African country to adopt disruptive Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies with a view to improve the country's food security.

In a statement he deliberated on the occasion of the high level virtual dialogue on feeding Africa: Leadership to scale up successful innovations, Masisi said adoption of 4IR will help Botswana to transition from conventional to smart farming and to move from subsistence to commercial agriculture.

Botswana is a semi-arid nation susceptible to drought which is characterized by low and variable rainfalls, very hot temperatures, as well as outbreaks of pests.

"Recurring droughts continue to undermine our capacity to produce drought resistant indigenous seeds for food production. It has become imperative for Botswana to adopt disruptive 4IR technologies that will help us transition," said Masisi.

In the absence of 4IR, these challenges of recurring droughts contribute to food shortages and a high food import bill which is not sustainable in the long run, according to Masisi.

Botswana identified agriculture, in the long term National Vision 2036, as one of the key drivers for national transformation and thus aims to create a sustainable, technology driven and commercially viable agricultural sector.

After adopting a Climate Smart Agriculture Programme for 2015 to 2025, Botswana is reviewing its National Policy on Agricultural Development to address emerging challenges such as climate change and to ensure alignment with Climate Smart Agricultural requirements. Enditem

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