17 Mar 2022

Government will ensure that Botswana Meat Commission’s (BMC) 2022-2025 strategy aimed at aligning operations with the organisation’s status and improve its credibility and brand, is realised.
Speaking during a visit to Lobatse BMC on Wednesday, Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said the ministry appreciated the meriting strategy.
Through the plan, he said, BMC would address existing challenges and meet the growing and shifting market demands.
Mr Molebatsi said to meet its strategic goals, BMC would be driven by the principles of self-sustenance, sustainability and commerciality.
For the strategy to succeed, all stakeholders had to work together, he said.
 “Let us all pull in one direction in order to turn BMC’s fortunes around,” said Mr Molebatsi.
He said he shared the organisation’s sentiments for working capital to be availed in order to modernise it.
 However if funds were not available given the current economic situation, all involved needed to think outside the box, Mr Molebatsi said.
For his part, BMC’s chief strategy officer, Mr Brian Dioka said the organisation was faced with a number of challenges which limited production hence the strategy.
“A lot of processes are done manually, which is not effective in today’s world,” he said and appealed for assistance to automate BMC production processes as that would effectively and efficiently increase output.
He said the organisation was also struggling to acquire enough raw material (cattle)further explaining that to supply the Norway market alone, 30 000 cattle had to be slaughtered in six months.
Describing export of live cattle as a risk to BMC, he said it had worsened an already precarious situation.
 “We have to retain competitive edge and we can only do that with quality raw material,” he said.
Mr Dioka said there was need for a good relationship in the value chain and urged the minister to assist in that regard.
He said BMC had the potential to meet all identified markets’ needs.
Department of Veterinary Services deputy director, Dr Kefentse Motshegwa said it was vital for BMC to uphold and improve standards.
On the issue of exporting live cattle, he said although it was a risk to BMC, it was a welcome relief to Batswana.
 However, he said it had to be taken into consideration.
Mr Ghulam Kibria, Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security’s deputy permanent secretary - technical services, said overall success of BMC was paramount.
Stressing the need for private sector involvement, he said investors should be identified in places such as Asia.ENDS