17 Apr 2016

The Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse, has urged Ghanzi farmers to stay calm and comply with recommendations by the Ministry of Agriculture, following the buffalo incursion in the Southern District.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Ghanzi on Friday April 15, Mr Autlwetse  said the sudden prohibition of cloven hoofed animals especially cattle would affect them directly.

The assistant minister said buffalo incursion had instigated immediate stoppage movement and killing of all cloven hoofed animals in Zone 11; including slaughtering for weddings and funerals.

He said it was profound for him to speak with Ghanzi farmers because the region was the heart beast of meat production.

He said Ghanzi farmers would be  affected because for their cattle to reach Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) in Lobatse, it had to pass through the affected zone. Therefore,  Assistant

Minister urged them to comply with relevant authorities to report any suspicious falsely movement of animals by people.

However, he emphasised that within Ghanzi zone, slaughtering of cloven animals and meat products were allowed.  Furthermore, he said  the search for other buffaloes was on.

“The Department of Animal Health will inspect every animal in Zone 11 to see whether the buffalos have already spread the Foot and Mouth Disease on the guarantee zone,” said Mr Autlwetse.

He encouraged farmers in Ghanzi to work with government in the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease saying “this is not the time to point fingers or put blame on others because this can shrink the economy.”

Moreover, the assistant  minister  said the European market would be affected by the sudden stoppage of cattle movement hence government finding it appropriate to inform  them (EU) about interventions  in place.

Mr Autlwetse also informed the meeting  that the Botswana Livestock Advisory Centres (LAC) would be taken over by the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) and explained that where  BAMB did not have offices they would use ministry offices.

He said the takeover would include 50 per cent livestock feeds subsidy. He also encouraged Ghanzi residents to  engage in horticulture since research showed that there was lot of underground water in Ghanzi.

Farmers continued to decry of Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)  monopoly and asked Mr Autlwetse to give them permission to build their own privately owned abattoir. They also pleaded with government to maintain the cordon fence that separated Ngami region and Ghanzi. ENDS