Farmers in Ngamiland have been urged to embrace the newly introduced Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)’s Direct Purchase scheme for the area to ensure its success.
The plea was made by the acting minister of lands and agriculture, Dr. Edwin Dikoloti on Monday when he officially launched the scheme, popularly known as the ‘Live Buy’ initiative and designed to facilitate direct livestock purchases from farmers, ensuring convenience, inclusivity, timely payments, while fostering growth within the cattle industry.
“The key is delivering quality cattle to ensure maximum returns to farmers and profitability to the BMC,” Dikoloti said.
The launch marked a transformative shift in Botswana’s livestock marketing and a renewed effort to empower Ngamiland farmers who have long felt excluded from BMC system,
Dr. Dikoloti described the initiative as “a fair, transparent, and reliable platform for cattle sales that brings the market directly to the farmer.” He said the launch represents “a significant step toward restoring trust among Ngamiland farmers by improving their incomes, relieving them of quarantine burdens, and unlocking the full potential of cattle in this region.”
According to him, Ngamiland currently holds an estimated 228,000 herd of cattle, a decline from the historical 317,000, which he attributed to “climate change, droughts, and farmer disengagement from livestock production.”
He commended local farmers for maintaining a high-quality herd, saying, “Farmers have invested significantly in cattle breeding, resulting in the high-quality herd we boast in this region, which surpasses many other districts.”
He further noted that Ngamiland’s top ten animals recently fetched between P12,200 and P13,700, with carcass weights ranging from 391 to 394 kilograms, describing this as “a testament to your perseverance and commitment despite the many adversities you face in this region.”
Addressing the issue of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), which has long restricted market access and stunted local economic growth, Dr. Dikoloti admitted that it “remains a significant economic challenge – one that locks out market opportunities and stunts local economic development.” However, he expressed optimism that the problem will be overcome “with the cooperation that Ngami and Okavango farmers are renowned for.”
He explained that overcoming FMD would require more than cooperation, saying, “We must develop trust and be united in purpose. We must collectively invest in upholding international standards, including traceability and quality assurance, create opportunities, and seize them as they emerge.”
Dr. Dikoloti outlined government efforts to strengthen the livestock sector through the Integrated FMD Official Control Programme, which includes risk-based vaccination, vaccine monitoring, animal traceability, and movement controls.
He also highlighted the Herding for Health (H4H) initiative, which he described as “a collaborative approach to managing grazing, providing veterinary services, and connecting farmers to markets, while conserving biodiversity and building resilience to climate change.” He said the program “obviates the need for quarantine in the traditional sense” and allows farmers to benefit from “enhanced control of diseases and parasites, improved rangelands management, and reduced losses to theft and predation.”
Dr. Dikoloti further introduced the A-Di-Tsale Programme, aimed at expanding the national herd size and improving cattle productivity through better animal health, reproductive efficiency, and market compliance. “A-Di-Tsale will walk with you every step of the way, providing technical assistance, training, and mentoring to grow not just your herd size but also your income,” he said.
He encouraged farmers to organize into groups such as clusters and syndicates to benefit from the program and to take advantage of government-subsidised bull semen, which he revealed is “now available at just P75 per straw.” He added that the Ngamiland and Okavango regions are “uniquely placed to be at the forefront of this agriculture revolution,” noting that “you are great stockmen, with unmatched passion. The region is great cattle country—the land is amongst the best for raising livestock, and you already have the genetic base.”
The Acting Minister also emphasized that these initiatives are guided by the Revised National Agricultural Policy (2025–2030), which prioritizes market access, agricultural finance, climate resilience, innovation, technology, research, and value chain development.
He announced that government is investing heavily to revitalize livestock infrastructure through two major projects—the Meat Value-Addition and Secondary Processing Plant valued at P230 million, and the Revitalization of the Tannery worth P225 million. These, he said, are “financed by government to bring BMC back to profitability, which will ultimately improve returns to the farmer.”
Dr. Dikoloti reaffirmed that the BMC abattoir in Maun remains “a strategic FMD control installation, rather than a profit-oriented entity,” underscoring its importance in maintaining disease control and supporting livestock trade integrity in the region.
