Beef union demands tighter FMD controls
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday February 13, 2024 06:00
Thuo Letlotlo is a government 'flagship' programme expected to launch during the 2024–2025 financial year. Minister of Finance Peggy Serame, while presenting the budget for the 2024–2025 fiscal year, stated that the intervention would catalyse the country’s animal production sector by increasing the national herd. Additionally, it aims to enable Batswana to leverage the government's artificial insemination programme to enhance the quality of breeding stock nationwide. Concerns arise that without comprehensive FMD mitigation measures, farmers in FMD-prone areas such as the North East District might struggle to enjoy the benefits of farming initiatives and incentives driven by the government, including Thuo Letlotlo.
Seeletso highlighted the union’s concerns about the impact of FMD on government agricultural initiatives, particularly the upcoming Thuo Letlotlo, in an interview this week. He reiterated to The Monitor that FMD poses a significant challenge to farmers aiming for sustainability, potentially demoralising them from engaging in initiatives like Thuo Letlotlo.
“We are concerned by the frequent outbreak of FMD not only in the North East but also in other parts of the country. The outbreak affects the entire cattle farming value chain,” he said. While the Budget Speech lacks specificity regarding plans to strengthen the fight against FMD, Seeletso remains optimistic. He believes the Ministry of Agriculture has specific measures and budget allocations for initiatives combating challenges associated with FMD, potentially ensuring that farmers can benefit fairly from programmes like Thuo Letlotlo. He said despite challenges posed by FMD, the union encourages farmers across the country to take advantage of government initiatives. In a kgotla meeting addressed by President Mokgweetsi Masisi late last year, North East farmers expressed concerns about the lack of strong interventions against FMD, stating that sustainable cattle rearing in their zone would remain an illusion without such measures.
The President promised necessary actions to reduce the burden of FMD on farmers in the area. Last week, Minister of Agriculture Fidelis Molao stated that government would thoroughly consult with farmers across the country ahead of the Thuo Letlotlo launch. This, he said, would ensure that the benefits of Thuo Letlotlo are enjoyed fairly by farmers nationwide without significant impediments. Over the last decade, the North East has witnessed constant FMD outbreaks. The last outbreak in September 2022 led the government to depopulate the area and compensate farmers for approximately 10,000 FMD-infected cattle.