16 Feb 2021

The milk production in Botswana employs about 890 people, says the Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Ms Beauty Manake.

Ms Manake told Parliament on Monday that the dairy sub-sector had employed 190 people as managers, milkers, cleaners, farm supervisors, inseminators and fodder producers, whereas in the processing sub-sector about 700 people had been employed.

She noted that with the expansion of the whole dairy chain more people could be employed.

Ms Manake said there was a potential for employment creation in the dairy industry, further stating that the industry growth would result in employment opportunities in dairy production and its value chain such as breeding and supply of dairy cattle, feeds, milk products, transportation, supply of dairy equipment and veterinary requisites.

She further stated that there were opportunities to develop dairy training infrastructure in both government and private sector.

“In government there are vocational schools and colleges where dairy production is part of the syllabus, colleges like Barolong Vocational Training Centre, Serowe Farmers Brigade, Tonota College of Education and Molepolole Prisons,” she said.

Ms Manake said in the private sector, there was production and training farm at Sunnyside, where farmers could learn practical skills of running a modern dairy farm.

She further said the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) offered components of dairy production in the BSc Animal Science Modules such as Dairy Science and Technology and Dairy Production.

Ms Manake said graduates of the BSc degree in animal science were eligible for employment in the dairy industry or as extension officers in the department of animal production in the ministry.

She noted that the ministry had recommended that the traceability with respects to engagement of the graduates be carried out to determine their employment status and business ventures.

That, she said, would determine the challenges and opportunities as well as potential growth for the sector.

“During their academic year training, students go through what is termed field practical training at farms to accustom them to real dairy production farming,”said Ms Manake.

She said to augment that, the newly introduced Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme (GEP) attached BUAN graduates for three years in practical agriculture and natural resources business being developed by the University Investment Company, BUAN Enterprises (Pty) Ltd.

Ms Manake further stated that graduates were trained on all spheres of the business in respective disciplines.

“One of the businesses that is being pursued by the university is a commercial dairy farm. Graduates are attached to the dairy farm for a period of three years and during that period, they are incubated on sections of a dairy farm from feeding, breeding, milking and marketing to management,” Ms Manake said.

She said BUAN has a sizable milking facility and an anchor farmer, who manages and grows the dairy herd of the university, adding that part of the training takes place in this facility.

Ms Manake further said this set up presented itself as a big opportunity for students to learn commercial dairy farming and experience the financial rewards.

Shoshong Member of Parliament, Mr Aubrey Lesaso had wanted the assistant minister to state how many students had graduated from BUAN in the area of dairy farm production in the last five years.

The legislator also wanted the assistant minister to state how many of the students had been employed or were in active production of dairy farm.

He further asked the assistant minister to explain the practical training availed to students of agriculture at BUAN, in particular dairy production.

Mr Lesaso also wanted to know where the facilities for training were and how they would equip students and what opportunities were available to develop dairy training infrastructure in government and private sector.

In addition, MP Lesaso enquired about the outlook of dairy production in Botswana as an employment vehicle in the next five years. Ends