K Letsholo in Maun
THE Botswana government is being accused of hiding its head in the sand when it comes to involving citizens in the lucrative ostrich industry. The country which has the largest wild ostrich population in the world still only has nine registered farmers – and one of them is the president.
Two years ago, 300 Batswana turned up for a meeting in the capital Gaborone, eager to become ostrich farmers. Last month, at a similar meeting in the eastern part of the country, only around 15 showed up.
“I’m upset,” says Maun ostrich farmer Tim Longdon. “Those potential ostrich farmers were so dissatisfied with the industry regulations and now their interest has waned. Ostrich farming is still seen as an industry controlled and dominated by whites.”
According to the Department of Wildlife, since 1994 there have been 289 inquiries from people wanting to establish ostrich farms. Out of these, only 18 people submitted proposals and three were approved. The remaining proposals have not been approved because the applicants have not yet provided proof that they own the land they want to farm the ostriches on.
Despite government promises that it would review the national ostrich policy, Batswana still feel excluded – with the possible exception of President Ketumile Masire, himself an ostrich farmer.
Longdon says the regulations remain very complicated and include management plans, financial forecasts and getting permission for land – all of which frighten people off.
Wildlife officer Thato Sejoe doesn’t agree. She denies that the regulations are complicated and explains applicants must submit management plans “to ensure that [they] have a clear understanding of what they are getting involved in”.
Tell that to Batswana Paramount Chief Tawana II. “I can read and write and I’ve got a degree, but I still couldn’t fill in the forms,” he says.
Tawana wants to set up a community-based ostrich project in the delta village of Shorobe where villagers would collect ostrich feed, catch chicks in the wild, and make jewellery.
Tawana says he has the land, he’s written three proposals and European Community donors are interested. But he’s been greatly discouraged by the registering process.
Like Longdon, Tawana believes ostrich farming is an ideal alternative to the present cattle dilemma, as local farmers wait for the partial restocking of the 250 000 cattle slaughtered last year by the government because of lung disease.
Longdon suggests giving dispossessed farmers two adult birds to mate. Once a chick is 10 months old it can be sold for R1 500 – three times what farmers got in compensation for each slaughtered cow.
He started farming in 1988 and currently has about 300 birds. Longdon sells the meat (low in cholesterol and calories) to lodges in the Okavango Delta, the skins to a tanning company and the feathers and empty shells to a business in the southern village of Serowe. – Okavango Observer