01 May 2023

For the country to realise it’s food security ideals, there is need to improve on both the quantity and quality aspect of the livestock and the sector chain value addition, deputy permanent secretory in the Ministry of Agriculture Mr Joshua Moloi has said.

Kick starting small stock auction during Khawa June challenge on Saturday, he said there was a decline in the numbers and quality of small stock, hence the targeted programmes to promote livestock farming, particularly in Kgalagadi region where the sector had potential to do well. 

Mr Moloi said the donation of Ram and Buck championed by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi was an effort to improve livestock farming.  

Concerning the  auction, he said  the aim was  expose small farmers to potential markets, and present Kgalagadi region as the country’s cream of smallstock farming in quality and quantity.

In oder for the livestock sector to grow and create wealth, he said there was need to do more in value chain development, rather than selling products in raw form.

 He however encouraged farmers to balance pricing with cost of production and inputs.

Speaking in an interview at the auction , Middlepits farmer Mr Molale Sakurai said small stock was a good business especially the beef master, black headed dropper, and pure white dopper products.   

He said such animals were doing better in the sheep market.

However, Mr Sakurai decried COVID-19 impact, which he said drove down small stock business. 

He called on government to open up more market opportunities, and avail deliberate projects/programmes intended to assist small stock farmers to improve their animals quality to make them more competitive and create wealth  for farmers. 

He said commercial stock care was capital intensive, and therefore needed government subsidies to aid farmers catch up with established farmers and market demands.

He said though he had wanted to showcase and participate in the auction he was closed out, and was now selling to individuals and was hopeful despite clientele blaming COVID -19 for dwindling finances. Dopper, and Boer goats were some of breads auctioned. ENDs.