21 Apr 2024

Ngamiland community in the North West District is one of those that value cattle rearing.

Traditionally their livelihood depends largely on the livestock industry, supplemented by hunting and arable farming.

Animal husbandry has therefore been central to the survival and success of the communities of Ngamiland as many spend most of their time at settlements/cattle posts around reliable water sources where grazing conditions condusive.

At its peak, farmers enjoyed economic benefits from Botswana Meat Commission Maun branch, where they were awarded bonuses as a motivation for them to supply more cattle.

But as fate would have it, the district was hard hit by natural disasters such as severe droughts and livestock diseases, resulting in severe cattle mortality that left farmers in a state of despair.

The livestock industry since then has been struggling to recover from the consequences of disease outbreaks such as Foot and Mouth Disease.  Government, however, continues to take radical steps to control and eradicate the diseases and prevent further outbreaks.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s bull drive donation is one of government’s initiatives meant to boost Botswana’s cattle industry.

It has donated 40 pedigree bulls to the region in which each of the four constituencies; Okavango, Ngami, Maun West and Maun East received 10 bulls.

The donation also aimed to dispel views that government prioritised tourism over farming.

However, despite the challenges, some farmers strongly believe the livestock industry can still change for the better in the animal disease prone region provided government join forces with the farming community to shield them from hardships and promote sustainable industry through the control of animal disease including FMD.

Livestock rearing, they say, has been part of the Ngamiland people’s life and served as the main economic activity, adding that they possessed skills and indigenous knowledge associated with livestock production that they have perfected over several generations.

The region, they said, was blessed with fertile land and abundant water sources and to embrace sustainable farming practices and improve resilience, they called on the government to consider relocating their livestock far from the Okavango Delta as they suspected that the wetland contributed to diseases and parasites outbreaks.

 However, farmers appreciated government’s efforts towards the revival of the sector, saying the bull donation initiative that sought to boost the declining cattle population would not produce expected results if the issue on the ground was not addressed.

 “We appreciate that government is igniting mindset change towards farming and steering the agricultural landscape towards self-sufficiency and prosperity.

We also appreciate and support President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s rams, bucks and bull donation initiative, but letshogo lame ngwanaka ke gore lenaneo le le tlaa holotsa ka jaana dipoo tse di gorogela mo nageng e e aparetsweng ke dikgwetlho jaaka malwetse le leuba,” said an elderly farmer, Mr Tumelo Kenalemang of Gumare.

The initiative, he says, is brilliant and has the potential to take the farming community back to its glory days, where pastoral farming provided economic benefits to the wider community through its contribution to national economy, food security and income generation.

Farmers, he said, moved along with their herds in search of grasslands and water sources, but things have changed because of climate change which increased the prevalence of parasites and diseases that affect livestock.

For the bull donation to succeed, Mr Kenalemang underscores the need for government to consider relocation of livestock from wetlands, which he said exacerbated the outbreak of diseases and parasites.

Another farmer, Mr Teko Raditlhapi of Nokaneng concurred that the cattle population had drastically declined and appreciated  the bull donation initiative, saying it would help increase cattle population.

He says the donation does not only benefit the beneficiary, but all farmers in the extension area.

“Relocation of our livestock from the wetlands and drilling of boreholes at a new location would be ideal.

 Profitable livestock farming requires land, reliable water sources and good management practices and if the government can provide land and water indeed we can take the cattle industry to greater heights,” he added.

Currently, he said they were nomadic because they had to move cattle in search of good pastures and water and the end result for farmers was low productivity and a dramatic drop in income.  ENDS