President Duma Boko has identified Botswana’s ostrich industry as a largely untapped economic opportunity, stating it has the potential to create jobs, stimulate entrepreneurship, and increase export earnings while promoting healthier dietary choices.
Speaking during a tour of the Dibete Ostrich Multiplication Unit, Boko said Botswana has significant opportunities across the ostrich value chain, beginning with feed production, which remains heavily dependent on imports. He noted that products such as sunflower-based feed are largely imported despite the country’s agricultural potential, creating an opening for local entrepreneurs to establish feed manufacturing businesses.
“There is an open market for ostrich feed,” he said, adding that the shortage of locally produced feed has constrained optimal ostrich breeding and presents an industry that entrepreneurs could exploit.
The President further highlighted the nutritional value of ostrich meat, describing it as a healthier alternative to conventional red meat. He said scientific evidence shows ostrich meat is low in cholesterol and offers health benefits that could help reduce lifestyle-related diseases linked to poor diets.
According to a 2024 review published in PubMed Central titled Ostrich Meat: A Review on Nutritional Properties and Health Benefits, ostrich meat is widely regarded as one of the healthiest red meats available. Although it is classified as poultry, it closely resembles beef in taste and texture while containing significantly lower levels of fat, calories, and cholesterol. The review further notes that ostrich meat is rich in heme iron, essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6), and antioxidants such as taurine, anserine, and glutathione, making it an attractive option for health-conscious consumers and people managing conditions such as hypertension and anaemia.
President Boko said Botswana could also adopt integrated farming models to maximize returns. He referred to insights shared by a recent visitor to the country, who proposed dividing farmland into two complementary enterprises—using one section to rear ostriches while dedicating the other to producing ostrich feed. According to the President, such a model would enable farmers to generate income from two markets simultaneously by supplying feed to other ostrich producers while exporting meat to local and international buyers.
He further revealed that premium European markets currently sell ostrich meat for approximately 55 euros per kilogram, demonstrating the industry’s strong export potential.
“This presents a significant opportunity for income generation and employment creation,” he said.
To unlock the sector’s growth, President Boko disclosed that the Government is discussing a funding framework with the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) to support aspiring ostrich farmers and expand commercial production. The proposed financing model is expected to lower barriers to entry for entrepreneurs seeking to invest in ostrich farming and related businesses across the value chain.
According to the South African Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s Profile of the South African Ostrich Market Value Chain, South Africa accounts for approximately 75 percent of the global commercial ostrich industry, making Africa the world’s leading ostrich-producing region.
The report notes that while domestic demand continues to grow across Southern Africa, the industry is largely export-oriented, with premium markets in the European Union, including Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, remaining major destinations for African ostrich meat, which is marketed as a gourmet, healthy alternative to beef.
If successfully developed, Botswana’s ostrich industry could diversify the country’s agricultural sector, reduce reliance on imported feed, expand exports, and create new opportunities for rural employment and value-added agro-processing.
