USA’S BULL TALK
Government did not steal anyone’s idea - Molao P93million approved for the upgrading of Ramatlabama National AI Laboratory and Training Centre
Minister of Agriculture Fidelis Molao is adamant that the government of Botswana did not steal anyone’s idea when implementing its RESET Agenda or when it purchased cattle from abroad to improve the local feedstock.
“I can confirm that this is not anybody’s idea, there is no intellectual property that belongs to someone else that is being used,” Molao said, adding that the government has long been improving the local livestock genetics.
He explained that the government is open to exchanging ideas and looking for new opportunities that can be beneficial to the people of Botswana. Furthermore, he noted that they encourage the private sector to work hand in hand with the government because they are both striving to improve the local economy.
Molao was answering a question as to whether or not it is true that the government of Botswana stole ideas from local companies and have implemented the said ideas to improve the local livestock production without paying for the ideas, the importation of the cattle breeds from the USA being the most contentious issue. Speaking at the official tour of the Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination Centre, the home of the 161 cattle which were purchased from the United States of America, Molao revealed that one bull did not make it to Botswana as the handlers noticed that the bull would not make it through the long journey.
Molao said that it was decided that instead of shipping one bull across the globe the government will receive sperm straws equivalent of the monies spent on purchasing the one bull which is 7750 USD worth of sperm straw.
Furthermore, Molao said that MoA identified Assisted Reproductive Technologies such as Artificial Insemination (AI) and Embryo Transfer, as technologies that can be used to improve and develop the local livestock sub-sector.“Since the launch of the Revised AI programme, my Ministry was able to procure 12 200 foreign semen straws from USA and France during the 2022/2023 financial year at a cost of P7.2 million while in the 2023/2024 financial year through our budget allocation under the Department of Animal Production, we have been able to procure 2000 from Switzerland at a cost of P100 000.00; Simmental beef semen straws and 2401 dairy sexed semen from Switzerland at P800 000.00,” Molao said.
Molao added that a budget of over P93million has been approved for the upgrading of the Ramatlabama National AI Laboratory and Training Centre, a project which includes upgrading the infrastructure and introducing Artificial Insemination in small stock, as well as Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer in both small stock and cattle.
According to Molao the government hopes to unlock business opportunities in the livestock sector and promote private sector participation in areas of stud breeding, commercial breeding, production germplasm, production and distribution of liquid nitrogen, Embryo transfer, and Artificial Insemination service providers and capacity building.