24 Sep 2020

Self-funding remains a tall order for some people in agribusiness, but for Mr Jaspa Gaobope, his limited access to financial institutions and government programmes left him without an alternative choice.

Failure to secure capital is a major stumbling block for startups resulting with the project progressing at a snail pace.

On the flip side, the challenges enable the entrepreneur to accrue much needed experience for the project to succeed.

Mr Gaobope, a piggery farmer from Tsabong, who has settled in Ramotswa for his agribusiness, started his piggery farm with three pigs, one male and two females in 2018.

“I started with three pigs in Mogoditshane. I had to move from there because the area was very small,” he said.

Mr Gaobope, who  based in Lesatlhana ,grew up surrounded by cattle but piggery has always been his passion.

“You just need to love this, I love piggery so much,” he said outsmarting the stench oozing from the sty.

The passion for pig has made the husband and father of one to look beyond the current challenges facing the industry, among them access to funding.

His project is wholly self-funded, although he said it cannot continue on such trajectory owing to expenses that comes along with feeding 225 pigs and he called upon the government to consider subsidising piggery feeds.

Again, he said it was high time piggery was considered part of the Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) Programme under the Ministry Of Agriculture And Food Security.

Although the project has been gradually growing, Mr Gaobope said he had been failing to appease financiers such as the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), which provide financial support and promote sustainable citizen owned businesses.

The 47-year-old public officer said lack of a borehole was a major block in securing a CEDA loan.

“Where will I get water rights when I use water from the river, when I buy from water from suppliers,” he quizzed.

He said his reasoning with CEDA officials had failed to  produce positive results even after the launching of the revised guidelines.

“For me to get funding for the project, I have to get a personal loan, which is unfair,” he said.

Pained by the fact that even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, he still has to dig deep into his pocket to feed his livestock, he decried the poor support piggery farmers receive from government institutions.

“We are now forced to compromise on feeding, which is delaying their growth,” he acknowledged.

Mr Gaobope could be selling some to relief the load but the market has been dealt a huge blow by COVID-19 as pork is predominantly consumed in places such as restaurants and hotels.

The situation, has been aggravated by a drop in market prices  due to the low demand for pork as most hospitality industries have not yet resumed full operation.

Despite this difficulties, Mr Gaobope is not even thinking of throwing in the towel.

Rather, he is keeping up with his breeding plan, hoping that things will bounce back to normalcy anytime soon.

While he is still trying to maneuver the turbulences, Mr Gaobope believes only three things can charm his project.

First, government will have to subsidise feeds, financiers such as CEDA must lower their bar to recognise water bowsing and LIMID should cater for piggery.

“Monna tlhe nkopela goromente a subsidize feeds,” pleaded the agribusiness entrepreneur who is keeping only large white and landrace. Ends