Farmers urged to increase production
Government intends to increase the number of livestock it exports and it wants to improve the quality of beef that local farmers produce.
Speaking at the Breeding for Economic Growth and Sustainability Public Seminar at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Molebatsi Molebatsi said government will set up a meat regulatory body to regulate the sale of animals and livestock and advise government on some agricultural issues. Dr Juliet Madero, a senior consultant and meat production specialist from Argentina revealed that they were able to transform their livestock industry into one of the best in the world in a span of 20 years. Madero said that Salta’s climate is similar to Botswana’s and through the use of technology, high quality feed, foetal programming, feedlot production systems, genetic improvements and crossbreeding they are able to yield maximum results.
She said in efforts to improve the feed they gave to their livestock, they got better grass from African countries. She noted that farmers ought to take advantage of technological advancements to create better breeds that can survive the harsh weather climate. Ernest Janovsky, an international agri economist revealed to farmers that prices are decided at an international level, therefore the only thing farmers have control over is the quantity of the product they produce. He said that farmers have control over their expenses and output, therefore they must fight to produce more with less in order to fully reap profits.
He added that Africa is the new market that farmers should look into as it does not come with a lot of demands on how their food should be reared. He implored farmers to use technology to make more with less, warning that if local farmers do not meet the current needs of the market, artificial food products will take over the market.