13 Sep 2016

Chairperson of Botswana Ostrich Association, Mr Thabo Mokwena, has highlighted finance as a major challenge facing the association.
Giving a keynote address at the Ostrich Farmers Association dinner in Gaborone over the weekend, Mr Mokwena said most financial institutions were skeptical about financing their projects.
“We are battling with making financial institutions to understand the importance of the ostrich industry,” he said at a dinner organised with the aim of raising funds.
Botswana Ostrich Association mission was to resuscitate the industry, through the support of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The intention was to promote the welfare and interest of all ostrich farmers in Botswana and to promote and assist in development of ostrich farming, to act as a channel of communication between ostrich farmers and the various entities of government and vice versa.
With about 67 members, he said it was unfortunate that their members usually disappeared, adding that one aspect which discouraged farmers was that they were required to make an environmental impact assessment.
“An environmental impact assessment is a requirement for farmers who wish to hold more than 100 birds. We are working with the relevant officers so that they can waiver the law and accord a reasonable no of birds in the farms as it is not sustainable to hold less than 100 birds. It is also expensive to compile the environmental impact assessment report,” he said.
He said the cost of Ostrich feeds were also too high and they were working on finding a solution to the problem, as it was also a challenge in ostrich farming.
Mr Mokwena expressed satisfaction that the Ministry of Agriculture was of much assistance and also a sole investor in the industry, saying it brings hope that other stakeholders would come onboard.
For his part, the director of Department of Animal Production, Mr Kgosietsile Motsu, said the dinner was meant to revive the ostrich industry, which faced challenges.
He said the industry in future could help diversify the economy and reduce dependence on the mineral sector.
“We all know that the bulk of our economy comes from the mineral sector particularly diamonds. Botswana aims to look at exploiting the natural resources, in particular the tourism industry and other sectors,” he said.
Mr Motsu said within the agricultural sector, such as small stock, chicken and in this case, ostrich production, they were looking at promoting other commodities other than beef.
“Ostrich production started in the mid 80s and by the 90s we had enough birds which warranted the construction of the abattoir, of which presently we do not have the sufficient number of birds to keep the multi species abattoir running, hence the need to revive the sector” he said . ENDS