28 Oct 2025

- Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has reaffirmed its collective commitment to ensure cattle farming continue to thrive and drive prosperity for the people of Ngamiland and beyond. 

FAO Representative, Ms Carla Mucavi, said the organisation believed that  agriculture was the heartbeat of sustainable development, the bridge between economic growth, social stability, and environmental stewardship, guided by its global mandate to achieve food security for all. 

She made the remarks during the launch of the Direct Cattle Purchase (DCP) initiative in Ngamiland region on Monday hailing it as another milestone in Botswana’s unwavering journey to strengthen its beef value chain, empower farmers, uplift rural livelihoods and the transformation of agrifood system in general. 

Ms Mucavi said the initiative formed part of a greater vision, a Botswana where the beef sector stands as a model of sustainability, inclusiveness, and innovation. 

She noted that FAO works hand in hand with governments and communities to build agrifood systems that are inclusive, sustainable, and resilient. 

“In Botswana, our partnership with the government stands as one of shared purpose. Together, we have journeyed through decades of collaboration anchored in the conviction that agriculture must remain central to the nation’s development. We are proud to walk alongside Botswana as it pursues its vision of an economy transformed through agricultural innovation, market competitiveness, and community empowerment,” she said. 

Ms Mucavi further noted that FAO has always been proactive in supporting the government to develop strategies and policies to prepare the ground for a growing agriculture, including the cattle sector; ensuring that it is inclusive, market-driven, and resilient to change. 

The gathering learnt that it is through such strategic partnerships, that FAO supported the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Union (BAMCU) through the development of the Value Chain Development Strategy for Livestock Marketing Cooperatives, a forward-looking framework designed to unlock new opportunities for smallholder farmers. 

The strategy provides a roadmap for livestock cooperatives to thrive as engines of growth and prosperity, helping farmers access better markets, reduce costs, and diversify their income through abattoirs, processing, and live cattle exports. 

“In many ways, it laid the foundation for the initiative we celebrate today; the Ngamiland Direct Cattle Purchase Scheme which will connect farmers directly to markets, enhance value retention, and increase the profitability of the sector. This scheme is a testament to what we can achieve when government institutions,development partners, cooperatives, and farmers work in harmony toward a shared goal. By building these partnerships, we are not only strengthening markets we are securing livelihoods, safeguarding the environment, and ensuring that every farmer, no matter how small, has a fair opportunity to prosper,” she said 

 Ms Mucavi highlighted that FAO’s support goes beyond strategies and plans a it was about transforming lives, landscapes, and livelihoods. 

She said that one of their transformative projects had been the development of the Land Degradation Monitoring System, a tool that provided real-time data on Botswana’s land, ensuring strategic decision making are guided and supported by real time data. 

Moreover, this system, she said  also strengthened Botswana’s competitiveness in global beef markets, where sustainability and traceability were no longer optional, but  essential. 

She said it ensured that Botswana’s beef continued to be recognised not only for its quality, but for its integrity and environmental responsibility. BOPA