07 Aug 2024

Parliament has heard that funds amounting to P226.7 million were requested for the Department of Animal Production in the Committee of Supplies speech of the 2023/24 financial year.

Responding to a question on Tuesday, Minister of Agriculture, Honorable Fidelis Molao, said part of the funds was used to procure live cattle, semen, embryos as well as upgrading of Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination (AI) centre.

“This dovetails into the ministry’s strategy for cattle improvement and competitiveness following the launch of the revised AI services in 2022 at Dibete, and as such this forms part of the Transitional National Development Plan,” Mr Molao said.

He added that during the 2022/23 financial year, the ministry requested funds amounting to over P93.4 million for the refurbishment of Ramatlabama National AI laboratory and training centre.

“The request was approved through Tranche 81-00 dated April 13, 2023 and the project duration was to run for 24 months, starting April 2023 and expected to be completed in March 2025,” he said.

He highlighted that the purchase of cattle was part of the ministry’s publicly declared plan of action as demonstrated in the first response.

The minister stated that it had been over 14 months since the arrival of the imported cattle from the United States of America (USA), adding that during the 14 months, the associated costs of keeping them included feeding costs to supplement grazing pastures that currently had been affected by drought.

In addition, he said the costs included veterinary requisites like drugs, vaccines, vet supplies, gloves and labour costs among others and to date, around P3.24 million had been incurred.

On the other hand, he said looking at the quality of the animals and the contribution they were going to make towards improving the genetic merit and population sizes of the national herd, their purchase was in line with the National Policy of Financial prudence and value for money.

He noted that a total of 20 423 semen straws had been produced since the young bulls had become of age and their training for semen tapping had commenced.

Okavango legislator Mr Kenny Kapinga had asked the minister to disclose where in the 2023/24 Committee of Supplies Speech, he made reference to an intention by government to buy cattle from the USA.

Mr Kapinga asked if such purchase was part of the ministry’s publicly declared plan of action and why it was shrouded in secrecy until just before their arrival.

He also asked the minister to disclose the costs of keeping the cattle from the date of importation to date. Ends