LEA Mandate

Vision

To be the centre of excellence for entrepreneurship and sustainable SMME development in Botswana.

Mission

To promote and facilitate entrepreneurship and SMME development in pursuit of economic diversification.

LEA Interventions

LEA provides a number of entrepreneurial and SMME development interventions to entrepreneurs and enterprises which enrol for its services. Among those interventions that LEA provides to its clients are:

• Provide business development services e.g. screening, business planning facilitation, training and mentoring.
• Identify business opportunities for existing & future SMMEs
• Promote domestic and international linkages, especially between SMMEs and Government, large business entities and other SMMEs
• Encourage exploitation of government & large firm procurement opportunities
• Facilitate access to finance, standards, infrastructure, and changes in regulations
• Facilitate technology adoption & diffusion
• Promote general entrepreneurship and SMME awareness.
• Encourage exploitation of government & large firm procurement opportunities
• Facilitate access to finance, standards, infrastructure, and changes in regulations
• Facilitate technology adoption & diffusion
• Promote general entrepreneurship and SMME awareness.

Strategic Intent

The LEA High level strategic Intent features two main policy approaches which are aimed at addressing most the of challenges facing entrepreneurship and SMME development. The LEA strategy therefore focuses on two main policies: the Entrepreneurship and SMME Policies.

Entrepreneurship Policy

This policy seeks to address entrepreneurs/individuals in order to inculcate the culture of entrepreneurship. This is done in recognition of the general lack of such a culture among the citizens of Botswana which has led to poor performance of their businesses. Under this policy, LEA provides assistance to entrepreneurs during the pre-start period and three years thereafter.

Policy Major Features

The main features of the LEA Entreneurship Policy including those listed below:

• Entrepreneurship as an alternative & attractive employment option
• Increasing opportunities for people to start businesses
• Providing entrepreneurship training and business counseling
• Facilitating development of Linkages
• Reducing regulatory and administrative barriers to entry and exit
• Facilitating access to loans and start�up finance

SME Policy

This policy addresses the development of enterprises or firms development which have already enrolled into the LEA interventions.

Major features of SME policy

• Business environment improvement
• Financial environment for SMMEs
• SMMEs access to information
• Facilitating access to markets
• Improving competitiveness through training and
• process efficiency
• Removing barriers to technology adoption

Summary of LEA Startegic Intent

1. Adopt both "Pre-start" + "Post-start" interventions
2. Adopt Niche Policy Strategy (turnaround strategy)�

Target Sectors

The choice of LEA target sectors has been based on the availability of inputs and raw materials locally and the opportunity for beneficiation as well. The target sectors are Manufacturing, agriculture, services and tourism. Another factor influencing this choice is the need to build competencies on quality & efficiency, import substitution + export orientation.

Target Entities

The Niche Policy also targets enterprises which are already operating in the target sectors mentioned above. Furthermore, the Niche Policy targets the women, youth and the unemployed as the key main beneficiaries of its interventions.

Create a structure with ability to deliver Niche Policy StrategyThe third objective of the LEA Strategic Intent is to create an operational structure that is capable of delivering on the LEA mandate. The envisaged structure must serve as a business advisory centre (BACs) or a one-stop-shop in the form of fully equipped branches.