02 Mar 2025

Makalamabedi No.2 Quarantine Camp fence renovation works will commence in April 2025 in preparation to receive cattle for the 2025/2026 breeding season, Parliament has learnt.

Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi speaking on behalf of Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, said several efforts to maintain the perimeter fence had been futile due to frequent destruction by elephants. He said the ministry had resolved therefore to upgrade the perimeter fence to an electric game fence to deter elephants.

He said the upgrading of the fence would be prioritised under the camp maintenance vote, and works would start in second quarter of 2025/26 financial year.

The minister was responding to a question by Boteti West MP, Mr Sam Digwa who asked when Makalamabedi No.2 Quarantine Camp fence would be renovated, whether it would be upgraded to electric fence since it was easily destroyed by elephants and also the arrangement made for cattle to be sent for artificial insemination.

The minster further said as a result of poor state of the camp infrastructure and severe consecutive drought that negatively affected the camp grazing condition, cattle could not be received in the camp for 2024/2025 breeding season.

Nonetheless, he said farmers were encouraged to take advantage of the On-farm Artificial Insemination (AI) programme and use AI services at own farm level. ENDS