02 May 2022

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has urged farmers to continue to producing the world’s best beef.

Speaking at the Sandveld Ranchers Association farmers’ day recently, Dr Masisi said Botswana was renowned for its high quality grass-fed, textured and well-nourished beef in the international market.

He, however noted that the missing link, which related to a knowledge based economy was the association of best beef with Botswana origin, a responsibility he said, farmers should take on, to label, identify and maintain the standard of best-ness proudly from Botswana.

The President also said involvement of farmers in livestock sub-sector contributed significantly to the socio-economic development of the country, as a source of food, employment and income particularly in rural communities.

Though the livestock sub-sector was continuously threatened by disease outbreak, drought, predators and other exogenous factors, President Masisi said government had been responding in many ways in an endeavour to increase the national herd.

He said government had come up with a strategy, which identified areas of improvement that included research and technology as well as the promotion and marketing of beef. 

The strategy, he said aimed at unlocking the value chain linkages and promoting market access.

Further, the President highlighted that in order to demonstrate government’s well intended intervention on the decline of national herd, he had since launched a national bull initiative. 

The aim of the initiative, he said, was to extend a donation of one bull of quality breed covering each of the 57 constituencies.

Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Masisi said, was also implementing beef productivity trading initiative through development cooperation with New Zealand government. 

He said the objective of the programme was to improve productivity, which encompassed among training of farmers and extension officers.

“The programme also provides practical industry-led livestock management training through tailored technical assistance in beef production,” he said. 

Furthermore, he noted that over the years, government continued to cushion farmers against adverse droughts through subsidies.

He said with affordability and access to livestock feeds, drought related mortalities were significantly reduced. 

“Moreover, as of October 2020 government took a decision to allow for export of life cattle, offering farmers an alternative market for their cattle. As of March 2022, a total of 256 933 cattle have been exported to South Africa and Namibia,” said the president.

Other government initiatives to assist farmers include development of the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory as a centre of excellence for cattle and small stock reproduction technologies.

CEDA chief executive officer, Mr Thabo Thamane assured farmers of continued support. He said so far CEDA had invested P600 million in the cattle industry.

He however noted with concern, a weakness by framers of not keeping records, hence it became difficult to facilitate some of the applications. BOPA