Cash stripped state owned meat exporter – Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has come up with a globally accredited laboratory where tests of business products can be done.
The laboratory is targeting amongst others start ups by youthful entrepreneurs who could venture into business such as herbs.
Speaking during a Gabane Agric show BMC spokesperson – Brian Dioka said youth entrepreneurs who are doing business in things like herbs which are sold even in chain supermarkets can take their products to the laboratory to ascertain the nutritional value of their products.
“Water from the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) is also tested there. It may be used for all food stuff to ensure their safety,” said Dioka.
Meanwhile still on entrepreneurship, Dioka said BMC intends to explore the policy with Citizen Entrepreneurship Development Agency (CEDA) to consider back grounding of livestock; which means feeding cattle first with grass, until they reach 300kg life weight so that by the time they go for slaughter they will be around 3800kg. The policy is necessitated by the fact that CEDA sponsors agri-business; including cattle farming.
“Even if I could go around fields here in Gabane I am sure I will find many which are not used and has a lot of grass which not used for anything. These should be used for feeding livestock before feed lotting where livestock is fed on
He said when BMC started feed lotting in 2009; Batswana farmers fed their cattle with plenty of salt and then watered them. This increased their weight until after they were slaughtered and it was discovered they weighed far less than the required 250 CDM.
Since BMC Dioka said, shifted from oxen to weaners, the feedlots rose from 10 000 to 88 000 in a period of ten years.
He also advised his audience that they should consider opening butcheries which sell products from his institution. Furthermore, he advised that from leather production perspective, there now is a product Gelative, a product which can be mixed with herbs to make sweets and related products.
Gabane Agric show is the first annual event which was jointly hosted by Risen Consultancy and Barwadi Trading Enterprise in partnership with Tholo Holdings and Duma Fm under the theme ‘Creating Value Adding sustainable and profitable partnership’ .
