13 Oct 2019

 Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) has launched BushVet, a well-equipped mobile veterinary facility.

Speaking at a launch at Dr Martin Mannathoko’s farm at Sentlhane farms on October 10, BAMB chief executive officer, Mr Leonard Morakaladi said access to veterinary services was key for healthier animals.

He hailed the facility as being the first of its kind designed to improve livestock health and equip farmers with knowledge on animal health.

Mr Morakaladi said the organisation focus had been more on crops, but had now discovered that pastoral farming was also key to the communities they served hence introduction of the BushVet.

He said livestock played an important role in uplifting rural economies and contributed significantly to the GDP.

A renowned farmer, Mr Morakaladi, said livestock created employment in the rural areas.

BAMB head of veterinary services, Dr Benjamin Ditsele, encouraged farmers to utilise the facility that had a veterinary doctor and three veterinary assistants who would be attending to calls where they would conduct animal health and nutrition assessments and provide preventive care and treatment.

Doing so, he said, would mean attending to animal diseases promptly thus reducing mortality.

He said the BushVet services would be in the southern part of the country and would ultimately spread to other parts of the country.

Calls would be charged at P12 per kilometer and other charges will be for what will be administered, stated Dr Ditsele adding that the BushVet would also have medicines for sale. ENDS