06 Jul 2015

The Ministry of Agriculture has acknowledged that some farmers were made to sign affidavits before their cattle were shot and killed in Zone 16.

This was in response to questions raised by councillors when debating the chairman’s speech regarding consultations on the shooting and killing of cattle in the buffalo fence (Zone 16).

The ministry stated that cattle in Zone 16 were difficult to contain and control as they were stray animals and that they were shot and owners identified and requested to make an affidavit at the nearest police station for them to be compensated.

Earlier on, some councillors had complained that there was no proper consultation from the Department of Veterinary Services on the shooting and killing of cattle in the then buffalo fence.

Cllr Lelejwang Sokwe noted that some cattle were killed at Dobe and wanted to know why they were not covered in the chairman’s speech.

In response, the ministry admitted that the 18 cattle killed at Dobe were found inside the buffalo fence and were not reported as the Department of Veterinary Services was acting within the confines of the law governing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control within the said zone which is a livestock free zone.

Cllr Sokwe also raised concern that the department was slow in maintaining the fence and noted that the delay caused the spread of the FMD.

 However, he was told that cordon fences were maintained by fencers at different camps along the buffalo fence.

In addition, it was reported that farmer engagement in the maintenance of fences had started in some parts of the buffalo fence, and that the department was in the process of rolling out the process to other sections of the fence in an effort to improve maintenance.

Other issues that concerned councillors was restricted livestock movement which had resulted in the shortage of small stock to feed programmes such as LIMID.

Cllr Duncan Enga asked why the ministry was not able to purchase livestock from sub zones 2b and 2c and Ghanzi District to alleviate the problem.

In response, it was explained that shortage of small stock in the district was a direct result of the livestock movement freeze imposed in the area to curb the recent FMD outbreak.

Therefore shortage of small stock such as goats in the agricultural zones was anticipated to be reduced as the movement protocol was relaxed across the district.

The ministry also admitted that there had been a delay in payment of small stock suppliers.

It was stated that in the beginning of the financial year, there was delay in allocating funds for the poverty eradication programme which resulted in delayed payments coupled with the centralised creation of supplies that was done in Gaborone.

The department has since started to pay the backlog.

Cllr Rizerua Kazenambo had questioned the delay which he said has led to beneficiaries living in fear of suppliers repossessing their animals as the government was not paying them.

Meanwhile, the ministry is currently addressing kgotla meetings in Ngamiland District to sensitise farmers on the revised movement protocol, vaccination coverage, fences updates and the Animal Disease Act. Ends