The ailing agriculture sector could benefit from Botswana's trade and investment links with Madagascar, says the Minister of Trade and Industry, Neo Moroka.

Moroka who last week played host to Roger Marie Rafanomenzantsoa, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Development of the Private Sector in Madagascar pointed to the many potential opportunities the two could tap from each other.

"Botswana like Madagascar has keen interest in Agro-based industry, especially in the livestock industry," he told his counterpart who was accompanied by former SADC executive secretary, Dr Pregga Ramsamy.

Agriculture, including fisheries and forestry is the mainstay of Madagascar's economy and accounts for 34 percent of its GBP, contributing more than 70 percent in export earnings.

"Botswana has high regard for agriculture and continues to explore ways of innovative production and marketing of agricultural commodities," he said pointing to the development of the National Master Plan for Arable Agriculture and Dairy Development (NAMPAAD), which has just started.

"It is hoped that once NAMPAAD is in full operation, the country will be able to have sufficient Agriculture produce and even surplus," he said.

The other area where the two could benefit each other was in tourism and reciprocal investment.

Madagascar joined the SADC regional block last year thus allowing for mutual beneficial trade and cooperation between the two. The SADC Trade Protocol encourages intra-regional trade and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan also envisaged deepening regional integration through the establishment of a free trade area by 2008, a customs union in 2010, a common market by 2015 and a SADC monetary union by 2016.

"We believe such initiatives will boost Botswana's trade with Madagascar, which is currently very minimal," he said.

Madagascar expressed interes in investing in Botswana and also in inviting Batswana entrepreneurs to set up in its country.

For his part, Rafanomenzantsoa said his country could benefit from cooperating with Botswana in areas such as mining adding that increased trade between the two would help in facilitating Madagascar's integration into the region.

He invited Moroka to reciprocate on his visit to which the latter responded: "I can promise you, I shall revenge on your visit and it won't be long before I do that."