Ngamiland cattle farmers have welcomed government’s agreement with Namibia to allow beef from the region to transit through its territory into Angola, saying the long-awaited breakthrough could revive cattle farming and improve the fortunes of the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) Maun abattoir.
The deal, announced by Minister of Lands and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti in Parliament last week, concludes years of negotiations between Botswana and Namibia and opens a new export corridor for beef produced under Botswana’s Commodity-Based Trade (CBT) programme.
Ngamiland Joint Farmers Association chairman Frank Mafela said the agreement would restore confidence among farmers who have long struggled with limited market access because of recurring Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks.
‘Given the ongoing challenges facing cattle farmers in the region, this development is bound to encourage more farmers to invest in farming knowing that market access has improved and that this will guarantee them cashflow,’ Mafela said.
For years, farmers in Ngamiland have argued that access to a transit route through Namibia would unlock the region’s livestock potential. While the association is yet to be briefed on the operational details, Mafela said farmers remain optimistic that government will safeguard the agreement while pursuing additional regional markets.
The breakthrough is expected to strengthen the BMC Maun abattoir, which has operated under difficult commercial conditions because FMD restrictions have limited access to premium export markets. The facility has relied heavily on financial support from BMC’s Lobatse abattoir, with improved market access expected to boost throughput and reduce dependence on cross-subsidisation.
Government believes the new corridor will support regional trade while helping cattle farmers in wildlife-rich Ngamiland secure better returns without compromising Botswana’s animal health standards.