Livestock farmers in the Zambezi region say they are facing financial hardships since the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) stopped operating the Katima Mulilo abattoir in June.
Meatco, which has been operating the Katima Mulilo abattoir since 2021, has handed over the operations to the Zambezi Meat Cooperation (ZamCo) in June after concluding their five-year management agreement.
The five-year agreement initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water and Land Reform was for Meatco to run the Katima Mulilo abattoir and build local operational capacity.
During its time Meatco bought and slaughtered about 17 160 cattle which resulted in about N$139.4 million in direct payments to local producers.
However, since the ZamCo takeover from Meatco, the abattoir remains closed pending regulatory, operational, and compliance requirements.
Zambezi Progressive Farmers staged a peaceful demonstration on Friday to petition the prime minister, Elijah Ngurare, to intervene as they are left without any official or reliable market.
In their petition read by Hilda Sezuni, the farmers say that the lack of a functioning abattoir has severely disrupted the livestock value chain as farmers continue to suffer financial losses.
She adds that they demand that the government facilitate the immediate reopening of the abattoir under the interim management of Meatco, while a permanent and sustainable operating model is determined.
“We believe that restoring a functioning formal market is essential to prevent further economic hardship among livestock farmers,” she says.
Sezuni further states that they also demand a transparent public inquiry into the process through which ZamCo was selected to take over the operations of the abattoir, as well as the financial, technical, and administrative capacity of the outfit.
“We believe that such a process would help restore confidence and accountability while ensuring the interests of the farmers and public are protected,” she says.
Sezuni further says they are disappointed at not being consulted during the process of the change of ownership of the abattoir despite them being affected directly by such decisions.
“We are not opposed to the government exploring new operational models and private sector participation in the management of public agricultural infrastructure.
However, such arrangements must protect farmers and comply with the law and regulatory requirements.
It must further ensure that agricultural infrastructure remains operational and financially sustainable,” she says.
The farmers are requesting an urgent meeting with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the agriculture ministry, Meatco, ZamCo, and other relevant parties.
“The purpose of this meeting would be to establish the facts, determine outstanding regulatory requirements, address the unpaid farmers’ issue, and agree on a practical time for restoring a functioning livestock market in the region,” she says.
Acting regional governor Bernard Sisamu received the petition and promised to forward it to the OPM.
