07 Jun 2016

Local beef producers have been encouraged to improve the quality and number of livestock in the country in order to secure the European Union (EU) market. The Minister of Agriculture Mr Patrick Ralotsia said recently during the Southern District Beef Farmers Association (SDBFA) field day at Mmalokawane farms near Phohushadi.

He said Batswana should pride themselves in the fact that they produced the best beef for the EU compared with the other two African nations serving the same market. He said they should also be happy in the knowledge that they were the only country with more livestock than people and urged farmers to maintain the status quo. 

However, he warned that a surge in livestock populations, should come with improved management systems in view of the fact   that land would not grow.Earlier on the director of Veterinary Services Dr Phillemon Motsu informed farmers about the Livestock Improvement Act of 2009. 

He said the spirit of the Act was to create an enabling policy environment for farmers to improve the quality of their livestock.

Dr Motsu explained that the new Law replaced the 1921 Registration of Livestock Act adding it would make it easy for his ministry to register all the stud breeds in the country.  He said with the registration, stud breed registered animal value would also improve. He said his ministry would move vigorously to implement the Act.

With the theme, “farming under challenging climatic conditions,” the chief executive officer (CEO) for the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board Mr Edison Woto urged the farmers to be climate smart by keeping a reasonable number of livestock to avoid overgrazing, plant fodder crops rather than relying on natural pastures only.

Mr Woto also commended the 76 year old Ms Thonkanyana Mosime, the host, for exhibiting grit in a male dominated industry and urged other women to take a leaf from her. He said Ms Mosime has also demonstrated that indeed ‘age aint nothing but just a number’.

SDBFA chairman Mr Boyce Mhutsiwa also applauded Ms Mosime and described her as an inspiration for other women to do livestock farming as a business. Mr Mhutsiwa explained that SDBFA was for both communal and livestock ranchers because they experienced similar challenges.

For her part Ms Mosime said farming required patience. She said she initially started with goats but through persistence and eagerness to learn from established farmers around her she held on fast until she could afford livestock. ENDS