Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, who is also minister of Finance, has revealed that the new administration’s determination to stabilise the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) is beginning to bear fruits.
BMC has for a long time been marred with a number of challenges, among them late payments to farmers, inconsistent supply of cattle as well as limited market access.
When delivery the 2026/27 budget speech this week, Ndaba assured that BMC is undergoing a far reaching turnaround that is revitalising the beef value chain and restoring confidence among farmers.
“So far, it has cleared P698 million in arrears, strengthened internal controls, and achieved significant operational gains, including a 22 percent increase in throughput at the Lobatse plant and a 31 percent rise in revenue to P1.04 billion, on a year-on year basis,”
He added that strategic investments such as the Meat Value Addition Plant, the revitalised Tannery, and upcoming multispecies abattoirs in Gaborone and Tsabong will deepen value addition, diversify production, widen market access, and enhance farmer incomes.
Previously, government announced that it is investing heavily to revitalize livestock infrastructure through these major projects aimed at bringing BMC back to profitability, which will ultimately improve returns to farmers.
On Monday, Gaolathe has assured that these developments will generate sustainable jobs, revitalise rural economies, and position BMC as a commercially sustainable, export oriented enterprise. “It is therefore imperative that we resolve the FMD situation urgently, so that we do not lose the hard earned gains that have the potential to transform our economy,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Vice President has indicated that government is implementing a comprehensive SOE transformation agenda anchored in a new governance and ownership framework. He explained that this framework is designed to formalise oversight, align mandates with national development priorities, and shift SOEs toward disciplined capital allocation, higher productivity, and improved service delivery.
“SOEs are central to Botswana’s transformation journey, with the potential to drive growth in strategic sectors, create jobs, crowd in private investment, expand infrastructure, and secure essential services for citizens. However, their persistent reliance on Government financing presents substantial fiscal risks, underscoring the urgent need for structural reforms to strengthen governance, improve operational efficiency, and ensure long term financial sustainability.”
That as it may, the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has been allocated the sixth largest share of the proposed budget amounting to P2.41 billion, representing a decline of P28.34 million or 1.2 percent compared to the current year’s approved budget. Gaolathe explained that the reduction is primarily due to scaling down of subventions to SOEs under the Ministry.
“Despite this modest decline, the proposed budget remains strategically aligned to national priorities aimed at enhancing food security through support for agricultural production, promoting self-reliance by empowering farmers, strengthening extension services, and investing in climate-resilient farming practices.”
Gaolathe noted that the allocation further supports initiatives to expand employment opportunities across the agricultural value chain. In addition, the proposed budget provides for the continued formulation, implementation, monitoring and management of land polices to ensure equitable access to land, enhance productivity and promote sustainable land use.
