04 Jun 2018

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Ngaka Ngaka has advised farmers to practice specialised farming rather than being multi-handed in order to realise better results.

Speaking at Tshephe Farmers Association field day at Mocha farm in the outskirts of Dutlwe on June 2, Mr Ngaka said most Batswana only reared cattle as a cultural symbol where no record-keeping was done.

This, he said made it difficult to know whether a farmer was making profit or loss.

Mr Ngaka therefore advised farmers that specialising in one breed could give a farmer a chance to know that breed well and put them in a position to perform better. He also urged farmers’ associations to always engage young farmers who have become successul so that they could motivate other young upcoming farmers.

Mr Ngaka also applauded the Tshephe Farmers Association, who were holding their 9^th field day, for annually providing farmers in the area with a platform to share ideas and learn from  each other.

Professor Patrick Malope from the Botswana Institute for Development and Policy Analysis (BIDPA) also reiterated Mr Ngaka’s words that research had indicated that the majority of cattle population in the country was in the hands of communal farmers who were not eager to develop breeds.

He said it had also been noted that in communal areas, mortality was very high while production was very low, which did not work well for the beef sector.

 “It is therefore up to communal farmers who are in the majority to pull up their socks and ensure that the beef sector in the country performs well,” he said.

Professor Malope said that cultural rearing only served to erode pasture. He also advised farmers to always make it a habit to sell what was known as unproductive stock, which included oxen and heifers and only retain a few bulls and productive females.

He said such would enable the limited land to sustain the remaining productive animals, at the same time minimising costs and increasing profits. Professor Malope said that this was more so that most communal farmers were decrying shortage of grazing land, and said that resorting to keeping a few pure breeds was better than having a large herd of cultural cattle.

“Most of the farmers in the county only keep cattle as some sort of insurance and only sell when they are financially constrained,” he said. Professor Malope also assured farmers that the decision by government to privatise the Botswana Meat Commission was after consultation with relevant stakeholders such as farmers. ENDS