12 Jun 2013

The Ngamiland community has resolved to send a delegation to President Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama regarding the devastating economic suffering brought upon the district by the prolonged absence of a beef market due to livestock disease outbreaks.

They made the resolution at a kgotla meeting after members of a delegation, which had been chosen presented a report on challenges faced by communities. When presenting the report, Mr Keloitsang Ledimo said they were ready to meet the President.

He explained that some of the burning issues, which needed to be presented before the President were loss of beef market due to the recurrence of animal diseases, loss of livestock due to drought, increasing debt problems for the local people and inconsistency of cattle prices at the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC).

Mr Ledimo explained that the district suffered a serious blow from a series of livestock diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) noting that since 2007 there had been no solution. He said some farmers were faced with the challenge of repaying loans because there was no market to sell cattle.

Another issue that the community raised was to request the government to revive the quarantine system noting that BMC survived through the system as they bought cattle from quarantines. They said farmers could benefit from the system.

The community expressed hope that the President would listen to their plea and provide emergency relief to assist the community to have dignified lives. Another member of the delegation, Mr Simon Bojosi said farmers countrywide recently met at Otse to discuss and find a way forward regarding the market issue.

“We agreed with one voice that an urgent solution is needed especially for cattle in Ngamiland and Bobirwa areas before the drought affects them,” he explained.

He also indicated that the delegation had agreed to organise a meeting with the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, BMC and National Development Bank chief executive officers to discuss some issues before they proceed to see the President.

Mr Bojosi complained about disparities in pricing of cattle at BMC noting that they differed according to areas instead of being uniform.  He also complained about the lack of a subsidy for beef prices in FMD affected areas. ENDS