Botswana’s cattle population has dwindled to around 1.9 million from a national herd of approximately three million in the 1970s.
In a written response to a question asked by Lobatse MP Kamal Jacobs, the Minister of Agriculture mentioned that several factors, including urbanisation, poor rangeland management, prolonged droughts, and increasing farm operational costs, contribute to this decline.
Reduced calving rates and rising mortalities further compound the production shortfall, affecting the supply chain and export capacity.
Botswana enjoys unrestricted access to the EU market through the Economic Free Trade Association (EFTA), which allows for quota-free and duty-free trade.
Additionally, under the SACU-Norway Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Botswana is allocated an annual beef export quota of 1,538 metric tons to Norway.
However, stringent EU compliance requirements, particularly in communal farming areas, have limited the number of cattle that qualify for export.
Low tagging rates and inadequate record-keeping have excluded up to 80% of cattle from the EU market.
Furthermore, frequent FMD outbreaks in key cattle-producing regions, such as Ngamiland, Selebi-Phikwe/Bobirwa, North-East, and Boteti, have led to periodic suspensions of beef exports, disrupting supply chains and affecting farmer incomes.
The inability to swiftly contain these outbreaks has weakened confidence in Botswana’s beef export reliability.
Financial instability at BMC has further exacerbated industry challenges. Farmers have faced delays in receiving payments for their cattle, limiting their ability to reinvest in herd maintenance and production.
In response, the government issued a P300 million guarantee to BMC in December 2022, allocating P227 million to clear outstanding farmer payments.
Despite this intervention, liquidity issues persist, necessitating structural reforms to stabilise BMC’s financial standing.
To address these challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced several policy reforms aimed at revitalising the beef industry:
The Meat Industry Regulatory Authority (MIRA) Act seeks to liberalise beef exports, eliminate anti-competitive practices, and promote broader citizen participation in the industry.
Youth-run Livestock Information Centres: These centres, set up in major villages, provide farmers with advisory services, transaction assistance, and support for maintaining accurate cattle records.
Subsidy Programmes: The government offers targeted feed and supplement subsidies during drought periods to support livestock health and improve production capacity.
Financial Support Mechanisms: A ceiling agreement with commercial banks has been established to help farmers secure funding for cattle sales.
Additionally, BMC is implementing compliance verification inspections through private veterinarians and an in-house microbiology laboratory to meet strict food safety standards, particularly for Norway.
In a bid to diversify Botswana’s beef markets beyond Europe, recent initiatives have led to successful exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2023.
Efforts are ongoing to expand into other Middle Eastern markets, including Qatar, and to introduce Botswana’s beef and value-added products into China.
The government is actively working on improving corporate governance at BMC, stabilising its balance sheet, and preserving key assets such as the BMC Value Addition Plant and Tannery.
Additionally, a restructuring process is underway to enhance operational efficiency, ensuring that Botswana Meat Commission remains competitive in the global beef trade.
A mini-shutdown in 2023 enabled BMC to remove hazardous worn-out stacks at its main boiler chimney. Although financial constraints have delayed full restoration to its statutory height of 36 meters,
the structure remains environmentally safe.
Compliance with environmental standards remains a priority, as the government seeks to modernize BMC facilities for long-term sustainability.
Speaking at the African Union recently, President Duma Boko, highlighted that BMC beef has historically been produced almost exclusively for the European market and, even then, was never branded
as "Botswana Beef."
He emphasised Botswana's commitment to improving beef production and reviving the BMC, which he said was in a comatose state.
In a written response to a question asked by Lobatse MP Kamal Jacobs, the Minister of Agriculture mentioned that several factors, including urbanisation, poor rangeland management, prolonged droughts, and increasing farm operational costs, contribute to this decline.
Reduced calving rates and rising mortalities further compound the production shortfall, affecting the supply chain and export capacity.
Botswana enjoys unrestricted access to the EU market through the Economic Free Trade Association (EFTA), which allows for quota-free and duty-free trade.
Additionally, under the SACU-Norway Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Botswana is allocated an annual beef export quota of 1,538 metric tons to Norway.
However, stringent EU compliance requirements, particularly in communal farming areas, have limited the number of cattle that qualify for export.
Low tagging rates and inadequate record-keeping have excluded up to 80% of cattle from the EU market.
Furthermore, frequent FMD outbreaks in key cattle-producing regions, such as Ngamiland, Selebi-Phikwe/Bobirwa, North-East, and Boteti, have led to periodic suspensions of beef exports, disrupting supply chains and affecting farmer incomes.
The inability to swiftly contain these outbreaks has weakened confidence in Botswana’s beef export reliability.
Financial instability at BMC has further exacerbated industry challenges. Farmers have faced delays in receiving payments for their cattle, limiting their ability to reinvest in herd maintenance and production.
In response, the government issued a P300 million guarantee to BMC in December 2022, allocating P227 million to clear outstanding farmer payments.
Despite this intervention, liquidity issues persist, necessitating structural reforms to stabilise BMC’s financial standing.
To address these challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced several policy reforms aimed at revitalising the beef industry:
The Meat Industry Regulatory Authority (MIRA) Act seeks to liberalise beef exports, eliminate anti-competitive practices, and promote broader citizen participation in the industry.
Youth-run Livestock Information Centres: These centres, set up in major villages, provide farmers with advisory services, transaction assistance, and support for maintaining accurate cattle records.
Subsidy Programmes: The government offers targeted feed and supplement subsidies during drought periods to support livestock health and improve production capacity.
Financial Support Mechanisms: A ceiling agreement with commercial banks has been established to help farmers secure funding for cattle sales.
Additionally, BMC is implementing compliance verification inspections through private veterinarians and an in-house microbiology laboratory to meet strict food safety standards, particularly for Norway.
In a bid to diversify Botswana’s beef markets beyond Europe, recent initiatives have led to successful exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2023.
Efforts are ongoing to expand into other Middle Eastern markets, including Qatar, and to introduce Botswana’s beef and value-added products into China.
The government is actively working on improving corporate governance at BMC, stabilising its balance sheet, and preserving key assets such as the BMC Value Addition Plant and Tannery.
Additionally, a restructuring process is underway to enhance operational efficiency, ensuring that Botswana Meat Commission remains competitive in the global beef trade.
A mini-shutdown in 2023 enabled BMC to remove hazardous worn-out stacks at its main boiler chimney. Although financial constraints have delayed full restoration to its statutory height of 36 meters,
the structure remains environmentally safe.
Compliance with environmental standards remains a priority, as the government seeks to modernize BMC facilities for long-term sustainability.
Speaking at the African Union recently, President Duma Boko, highlighted that BMC beef has historically been produced almost exclusively for the European market and, even then, was never branded
as "Botswana Beef."
He emphasised Botswana's commitment to improving beef production and reviving the BMC, which he said was in a comatose state.
