12 Mar 2014

Drought is among the challenges that caused regression to Mr Mathata Mojamotho’s cattle production project at Mokgenene in the Mahalapye Sub-district.

Mr Mojamotho, who was funded by the Youth Development Fund in April 2012, started up with 21 cattle but lost five of them to the drought that ravaged most of Botswana last year. 

He sold two other cattle to buy a horse that he could use to herd. Four of the remaining cattle calved, bringing the total to 18. He said other challenges were stock theft and predators such as leopards that ate calves soon after birth. 

The horse he bought to herd cattle was stolen, but later found at Artesia in the Kgatleng District.  The youthful farmer, whose passion for cattle developed during the formative years of his life when he herded his parents’ cattle, said he countered stock theft and predators by keeping a close watch to his livestock all the time.

He said he was happy for the recent rains because it meant that his herd would increase, thus enabling him to pay back the Youth Development Fund next year. Mr Mojamotho remained optimistic despite the challenges.

“I love my project. I won’t leave my cattle in the care of herdsmen to head to cities. They may end up abandoning them resulting in my project collapsing.” Ends