Let’s start off with some good news. I have found out today that I should have more than adequate funds to launch my backyard farmstead IF I take it slowly and not splurge on wants before I can safely afford them. I won’t be rich by any conventional definition of the word, but I won’t starve, either.
The other thing that I realized is that I don’t fit into any boxes! Literally, too, unless you consider crating me up, but mostly because I don’t match people’s ideas of what others should be.
An acquaintance gave me the crazy idea to go and look at other countries in Southern Africa (not Mocambique!) to live out my dream. Botswana is a stable, peaceful, and a rather prosperous country, right next door to us, with the added benefit that I can still be close to my parents if anything should happen.
So… like any other person with access to the Internet, I consulted Aunty Google (It’s an aunty – she knows EVERYTHING!). What I found out, was rather discouraging – for all of five minutes!
You see, I don’t tick any of the boxes on any of the web pages.
- I am NOT going to take employment.
- I am not a student.
- I don’t have my own company, nor do I want one!
- I don’t have millions to pay into some government investment fund.
- I am not the spouse or dependant of any of the above.
- I don’t know if I will be taking on employees – yet! Or how many.
Yes, I plan to share skills and boost the local economy wherever I decide to settle, and I will probably be providing goods and services to the same people. But that’s not one of the boxes!!!
So now what?
Yes, I sat and cried. For five minutes. And then the decision was made…
At the time of writing, I have fired off half a dozen of enquiry e-mails to any government department that might have people influencing residence permit granting decisions, introducing myself, and explaining the why, what and how of my homesteading plans. I have actually received one response already, but that was basically a note referring me to another part of the Botswana bureaucracy. I replied, to thank the person, and then sent the original missive to the new e-dress. I have still to receive any new responses.
What do I aim to gain?
Being a government employee myself, I recognise that while there may be a cumbersome and probably outdated system in place, there are also people at the top of the ivory tower with the discretion and signature (and rubber stamp) power to circumvent those cogs if they feel that an idea or person has merit and would contribute to society. And by being a squeaky wheel, I hope to gain their attention, and maybe get greased. As simple and as complicated as that!
Why Botswana?
South Africa is neither safe nor particularly stable (either economically or politically) at the moment. We have a per capita murder rate that vies with that of Columbia for the top spot in the world. Farmers and smallholders are especially targeted, either by pure criminals or some sinister political force. I don’t know which, but the point is that our government does nothing to stop that, and there is the issue of Expropriation without Remuneration, so I don’t feel particularly eager to purchase any property or pursue my dreams here.
Botswana, in contrast, has a stable and rather prosperous economy. The big international moneylenders rate them at A- and A2, which is pretty excellent. Their economy is based on tourism and mining, but they don’t have much in the way of local industry and production farming, so they have to import stuff. A lot. The mean income is the same as I am earning now, but the average is much higher, so that means that there are people in the country with large and deep pockets. And spouses of the same. (Yes, I am sneaky!)
Their crime rate is low. One reason for that could be that the country has vast open areas – too far to run – but they also have the death penalty as a deterrent and punishment for capital crimes.
Politically, there are also no upsets. Life simply goes on.
Climate-wise the country is much the same as ours, so it won’t be a massive adjustment. It is semi-arid, though, so summers will be hot, and winters might be pretty cold, especially for a free-range hooligan who will be living in a tent for the first year or so. But – again – it’s something I am anticipating and planning for, so it should not be a big deal.
And – and this is the most important consideration of mine – the country has clean air and a low pollution rate in general! I shall be able to breathe much more easily.
How will I sustain myself?
The incentives on offer are all for Big Agri: feedlot cattle and power crop production, mostly to the north of the country. I have no ambition to get involved in any of that unless perhaps to raise some protest action (which would be rude!)
Instead, I will buy a decently-sized piece of undeveloped land, camp on it for the first year or so, and probably install as many beehives as I can fit and manage, both for the honey and wax. The second big project will be to run a reasonably large aquaponics system so that I could grow vegetables both for my own use and for selling to people in the local community. The red tape says that a foreigner may not own a greengrocery, BUT that does not mean that I may not sell to the locals who do. (Ha!)
I am also fairly certain that I will be able to barter many products and skills.
I may even still own and run the soap workshop, but expand it to include other body care products as well. That is where the deep pockets available to the expat wives come into play.
It all depends on the availability and quality of the water.
So…
This is where I am right now in my whole Agterplaas planning process. Yes, it does sometimes feel as if I am running towards a solid brick wall, but with a bit of faith, that brick wall can turn into the doorway to platform 10 3/4, and that’s where the true magic begins.