14 May 2018

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has challenged the new Lobu smallstock farm manager, Mr Geoffrey Balogi, to ensure it becomes the production hub it is destined to be.

In an interview after touring the government-owned production and training farm on Friday, President Masisi said the vision was for the institution to activate Batswana to venture into smallstock production as a business with a view to feeding the nation and ultimately export.

He pointed out that New Zealand was relatively a small country, but supplied nations such as USA and Japan with smallstock meat.

Mr Masisi explained that at maximum operation, the farm would eventually open numerous business opportunities for Batswana in terms of value addition along the lines of feeding, marketing, graphic designs associated with packaging, transportation, among others, which he added would diversify the economy.

President Masisi also advised the farm management to develop a training programme for both staff and customers with a view to empower Batswana.

He said he would bring along cabinet ministers to attend one of the courses as soon as they were availed.

Mr Balogi, on the other hand, explained that the idea behind the farm, which had 50 white karakul sheep, 68 saanen goats, 401 black karakul sheep, 276 dorper sheep, 259 boer goats, 174 savannah goats, among others, did not only produced quality breeds, but also empowered Batswana to do the same for themselves.

Mr Balogi also thanked President Masisi for his support, which he said had seen many developments in terms of infrastructure such as the ablution block, come to the farm.

He said participants would use the block during field trainings.
Mr Balogi also shared that the envisaged smallstock abattoir to be built in Tsabong was at design stage.

He said the project was delayed by the fact that the design had to incorporate other animal species rather than solely smallstock as it preciously did.

Poverty eradication programme coordinator, Mr Montshiwa Montshiwa said his organisation had injected P2 million into Lobu farm knowing they would derive benefits given that programme beneficiaries would eventually source smallstock from the project and also be empowered with skills to produce quality breeds.

President Masisi was accompanied by Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Nonofo Molefhi and his assistant Mr Machana Shamukuni, Minister of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Eric Molale, Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Frans van der Westhuizen and former Member of Parliament for Ghanzi South, Mr Christian De Graaff.