14 Nov 2024

Botswana was once celebrated as a country where its  cattle herd outnumbered human population, but now farmers wait in anticipation that the country will revert to those majestic days.

With  a change of administration, hope remains that the new government will continue where their predecessors left off and Botswana will reclaim its spot in the cattle farming industry.

BOPA interviewed some farmers associations to understand issues they wish could be addressed to enhance and attract more Batswana to participate in the sector.

Kweneng Beef Farmers Association secretary, Mr Sebala Leshomo in an interview, hoped that the new government would address issues related to the encroachment of ploughing fields into communal cattle farming areas.

He also called for a centralised system for veterinary clearance and registration of cattle.

Mr Leshomo stated that through their parent body Botswana Beef Farmers Association, they had made a proposition to Meat Industry Regulatory Authority expressing their desire to participate in the pricing of their commodity with government assuming an advisory role.

The new Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, he hoped, would allocate ranches to associations to enable them to breed livestock.

Dutlwe based Tshephe Farmers Association chairperson, Mr Andrew Magogwe said their primary concern was for government to allow beef farmers to set prices for their stock and introduce and independent meat regulator.

Having proper infrastructure as telecommunication, road network and electricity in agricultural areas would improve production and attract people to those areas thus boosting agricultural output and creating job opportunities, Mr Mogogwe said.

Kootsukelela Koofitlha Farming Group, based in Mosi, looks forward to a transformative change in the agricultural sector.

The group chairperson, Mr Gofaone Kedise, hopes the new government would significantly invest in the sector, which has been the mainstay of rural communities and has potential to be a major employer and contributor to GDP if fully exploited.

As farmers, he said they wished for government to assign skilled extension workers, such as agricultural demonstrators and inoculators, to be closer to farming communities to provide timely technical support.

Liberalising the beef industry, he said, could bring stability and create more opportunities within the sector as that would translate to farmers getting more from their enetreprises.

“Our wish is to see farmers receiving fair treatment when selling their cattle, said Mr Kedise adding that now was the right time to establish an independent beef regulator, to rejuvenate the beef industry,” he said.

One of the challenges facing farmers in Botswana today, he said, was the high cost of energy, particularly diesel and that was making it increasingly difficult to manage production costs for both crop and livestock farmers.

As traditional energy costs continue to rise, renewable energy has emerged as a promising alternative, with solar power being particularly viable, said Mr Kedise, hence appealed to the new government to invest in renewable energy initiatives aimed specifically at the agricultural sector.

Stock theft was another issue he identified, that was a disadvantage to the livelihoods of farmers and the broader economy.

We hope the UDC government would improve measures to reduce stock theft, such as strengthening law enforcement, improving security infrastructure, and enhancing collaboration between local communities and authorities.

He also talked about increasing compensation for damage caused by wildlife, saying the compensation should be commensurate with the loss. ENDS