30 Jan 2019

Ntlo ya Dikgosi has been informed that there are at least 97 Batswana who have been approved and registered to engage in game farming.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, said there was no specific licence for game farming, but rather that a permit was issued for game farms.

Responding to a question from Kgosi Colly Cock of Thamaga Region at the ongoing Ntlo ya Dikgosi session, Ms Tshireletso said the Department of Wildlife and National Parks encouraged farming of species that were indigenous to Botswana.

She added that it included species classified as protected, partially protected and game animals under the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act, noting that there were already permits that had been issued to Batswana. “This is still open for issuance of additional permits,” she said.

Kgosi Cock had asked the minister to state the number of Batswana who had been issued with a licence to engage in game farming.

He also wanted to know which animals they were allowed to raise, and the type of license issued.

Kgosi Cock further asked whether in the case where no licence existed, the minister would consider issuing Batswana with a license for business.

Responding to another question, Ms Tshireletso said the number of headmen of record of arbitration that had not been incorporated in the allowance system was 143.

She said the allocation per region would be availed to Kgosi Galeakanye Modise of Tswapong Region, who had asked for the number of headmen of arbitration that had not been incorporated into the allowance system in the last exercise.

Kgosi Modise also wanted the minister to state the allocation per region and the projected dates for completion of the exercise.

Ms Tshireletso said the exercise was earmarked to be completed before the end of the current financial. Ends