15 Mar 2022

Parliament has rejected a motion requesting government to consider supplementing North West District cattle farmers who sell their cattle to Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)  in relation to the high cost of quarantining cattle for 30 days prior to slaughter. 

Opposing the motion tabled by the Member of Parliament for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile, the MP for Mmathethe – Molapowabojang, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said government spent P31 million annually on vaccinating cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease. 

Dr Dikoloti said that was a clear indication that government was doing all in its power to address challenges faced by beef farmers in North West district, which falls under Veterinary Disease Control Zone 2, which was classified as an FMD red zone. 

He said control of FMD in the area was done through surveillance and vaccination which was done three times annually. 

Dr Dikoloti said such an investment aimed at sustaining the livestock sector in Ngamiland. In terms of expanding the market, Dr Dikoloti said three abattoirs in the area were licensed to sell meat to markets outside the country. 

He explained that another lucrative market for weaner cattle was established in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique. 

As a result of FMD, Dr Dikoloti said cattle farmers in the North West have a limited market. 

He said government was monitoring the spread of FMD with the view of opening up to lucrative EU markets. 

He said Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) was working on improving vaccines to better control FMD. 

Dr Dikoloti also pointed out that cattle were destined for BMC abattoir were quarantined for inspections and farmers were responsible for transporting and caring for cattle at the holding facility. 

He also observed that farmers in Ngamiland were determined, as they had established cooperatives to cover for expenses of cattle at quarantine. 

Additionally, Dr Dikoloti said Kgomokgwana quarantine camp was being renovated to cut transport costs for farmers in its periphery, as they currently sent their cattle to a distant quarantine located at Makalamabedi. On farm quarantine, Dr Dikoloti said 15 farmers were assessed and permitted to establish private quarantines. 

He also noted that farmers in the North West were also engaged in projects that would explore all potential income generating and employment opportunities offered by the cattle value chain. 

The legislator also added that government was determined to empower BMC abattoir in Maun to sell to the regional market, adding that BMC had increased its prices from P23 to P28 per kilogram. 

Dr Dikoloti concurred with Mr Kekgonegile that there was a need for a meat regulator to address challenges of the cattle industry in North West. 

He was without doubt that government was engaged in relevant measures to sustain the livestock sector in Ngamiland. 

Supporting the motion, the MP for Okavango Mr Kenny Kapinga said the North West district had structural disadvantages that government ought to address in order to improve the beef industry in that area. 

Mr Kapinga concurred with Mr Kekgonegile that government should consider supplementing North West cattle farmers because the cost of transporting cattle to the quarantine facility in Makalamabedi was high because of long distance. 

He said farmers from the Shakawe area were compelled to cover a distance of more than 500km transporting cattle to Makalamabedi, and further bound to provide feeding for their cattle during the 30 days of quarantine. 

Mr Kapinga said the roads in the North West district were also not in good condition making it difficult for farmers to access the quarantine facility as well as the Maun BMC. 

Furthermore, he said maintenance of Kgomokgwana quarantine was not being done as the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security purported, adding that government must admit that cattle farmers in Ngamiland had a serious structural disadvantage thus needed to be assisted in terms of subsidy. BOPA