03 Jun 2021

Smallstock initiative has yielded positive results in Selebi Phikwe West.

Therefore, Selebi Phikwe Town Council mayor, Mr Lucas Modimana, encouraged farmers to move towards commercialisation of smallstock production.

In an interview at Mr Kelese Joseph’s farm on Tuesday June 1, the mayor commented Mr Joseph, who was one of the recipients of a buck from President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi last year November, for a job well done. 

He said the buck gave him 20 kids in seven months.

He further explained that if the country could invest in smallstock farming, lives of many Batswana would change for the better, adding that more value chains could be derived from smallstock production, hence the need for Batswana to tap into this opportunity.

He emphasised on helping the community set up cooperatives whose focus would be mainly on smallstock production and develop value chains that would help create employment and generate income for the country.

He said some cooperatives, for instance, could focus on breeding smallstock and recruit master farmers from institutions such as BUAN, while some could buy from master farmers to process meat and export it.

He added that others could focus on providing veterinary services as well as transportation of small stock. Mr Modimana said time had come for the country to move towards commercial farming, away from subsistence farming.

Deputy district commissioner, Mr Mokgethi Nfila, gave Mr Joseph a pat on the back for taking care of the buck. 

He said the buck would go a long way to improve other farmers’ breed.

He said government, through the department of animal production, supported farmers who benefited from the smallstock initiative, adding that his office also supported such farmers by donating feeding troughs for smallstock.

For his part, Mr Joseph thanked President Masisi for the buck promising to continue taking care of it. 

He said he expected the buck to help him improve the quality of his breed. ENDS