02 Mar 2021

The recent rains experienced in the Central District have not only resulted in floods but will lead to animal disease outbreaks.

 This was said by the council chairperson Mr Ketshwereng Galeragwe when officially opening a virtual full council meeting in Serowe yesterday.

  He therefore encouraged farmers to vaccinate their herds against diseases such as the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) which were bound to occur.

Mr Galeragwe said foot-rot in small stock was another likely outbreak and advised that small stock not be enclosed in dung-clogged kraals as it predisposed them to the disease. 

“It is important to remove manure before the beginning of every raining season or consider mobile kraals,” he said.

Mr Galeragwe said efforts were underway to ensure that the Central District FMD Free without vaccination status was maintained through cordon fences.

Still on agricultural issues, Mr Galeragwe said revised user fees and service charges effected last September included export, import and in-transit permits which were now P150 each.

Others are livestock brand registration at P200, keeper card P13, ear tag P25 and meat premises license P300. 

The council chairperson stated that the fee adjustment was long overdue.

Mr Galeragwe said Mathathane backline fence erection was ongoing adding that the human-elephant conflict in Bobirwa had prompted the reconstruction of the entire elephant proof fence.

He revealed that the public-private partnership model had been adopted for the project.

Councillors heard that April- September had been declared open hunting season in all controlled areas.

Mr Galeragwe said preparations were ongoing to declare the hunting quota and facilitate the entire process.

He said government had decided to open up the game farming industry to individuals with smaller land parcels.

Mr Galeragwe further mentioned that farm owners had prompted the development of guidelines for keeping game within smaller farm holdings.

 As a result,  Batswana would soon be able to apportion part of their arable land for keeping wild animals, he said.

He encouraged the public to use the opportunity as it had the potential to improve livelihoods and ultimately help in economic diversification and employment creation. Ends