Lobatse dairy project commences
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday April 28, 2015 18:00
According to the Assistant Ministry of Trade and Industry Sadique Kebonang, groundbreaking was recently done following the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“Lobatse residents should embrace this. It took them more than three years to finally get the EIA. As I speak, developments have commenced at the farm,” he said.
After delays in the project, including the earlier rejection by the Department of Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, the project has finally got a nod.
The Lobatse Town Council contributed land while Milk Africa will import 1000 dairy cattle from the United States of America (USA) and set up a dairy project expected to produce enough milk to satisfy national demand and eventually be exported.
Kebonang noted that about 20 Lobatse residents, who will be working on the farm, have already been sent to the USA for training on dairy farming. The project is anticipated would create more than 1000 jobs for residents of Lobatse.
Besides fresh milk, Milk Africa had also proposed that it would produce milk by products such as yoghurt.
Milk Africa had also proposed that it would set up big fields to grow fodder crops for its dairy cows. Lack or scarcity of dairy cow feed is blamed for poor dairy farming in the country. Botswana currently imports most of its milk and milk by-products from South Africa.
The Lobatse Leather Park is another project anticipated to boost the town’s economy, with 500 jobs promised.
A feasibility study has already been completed and the park is expected to be developed in the next 24 months.
Benchmarking for the P245 million project was done in India. Kebonang also noted that around August they would be expecting a Malaysian Henness Company, which will create close to 500 to 1000 jobs.
Kebonang added that Lobatse has about 5400 unemployed youth and about 3400 people living in poverty. He noted that both these projects are expected to create employment for the people of the town and attract spin-off businesses that would fuel the rebirth of the town and restore it to its former glory.