29 Nov 2022

The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao, has urged Batswana to embrace President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s bull donation initiative. 

Contributing to the debate on the State-of-the-Nation Address Monday, Mr Molao said the initiative was geared towards assisting the beef industry, which had been struggling for some time now. 

He said government was aiming to support farmers to produce good numbers of stock that would attract foreign market opportunities. 

He said developing good breeds would eventually lead Botswana to a high-income status. 

Mr Molao, also Shashe West MP, said the donations were still in progress and showing great progress noting that so far 675 lambs had been produced from the rams donated while 980 kids were produced from the bucks donated. 

He said there were some challenges incurred as they had anticipated a larger number from the donations. 

He said the numbers signified hope for growth in the future as there was now an opportunity to knock on doors at international markets such as the Arabic one. 

He said currently small stock head population stood at 1.4 million, which was a small consignment for international markets. 

He said government appreciated that these were small numbers and with initiatives such as the recent donations, it was a work in progress to meet the demands and develop the head and quality. 

Mr Molao said the North East District had low numbers of goats and sheep and pledged to donate from his own kraal. 

He said the national herd population stood at three million 10 years ago, but was now hovering between 1.7 and 2 million. 

He said Botswana was known for good quality meat though the country was still failing to reach the quota for Norway. 

He said quarantines were up and running as the target for the reviewed Artificial Insemination (AI) drive. 

Currently, Minister Molao said 8 350 cows were earmarked for the process while 5 563 had been booked for around 15 AI camps. 

He encouraged Batswana to embrace the AI and to familiarise themselves with their desired breeds through the catalogue issued. 

He said the reviewed AI included pregnancy tests and synchronisations, among other things, while a mobile AI was established to cater for communal farmers. 

Mr Molao said government had categorised genetic material including local semen not only those from abroad. 

He said local semen stood at 6 621 orders while imported semen from France and US was at 362. 

He said preference for Botswana beef was due to the upbringing of cattle and not genetic breeds, hence the quality of meat. 

He said there would soon be embryo flashing and transfer at the envisaged Ramatlabama project that would produce straws for export and to capacitate Batswana thus developing beef sector value chains. 

Mr Molao said Botswana had been extolled by the world organisation for animal health for its excellent disease control describing the country as the best in Africa. 

Turning to Shashe West, Mr Molao said villages in the district were mostly electrified which was a welcome development. 

Mr Molao said he was generally impressed with the level of development and was looking forward to the upgrading of Borolong clinic to a maternity ward. 

He said in 2011, he advocated for upgrading of Tutume as a subordinate authority and was pleased that it had come to pass. 

Mr Molao said he was pleased with the introduction of the mother tongue in schools and explained that dominant languages would also be used as teaching instruction.BOPA