Buffalo to go commercial in Namibia
Buffalo to go commercial in Namibia

Buffalo to go commercial in Namibia

Ministry negotiating with agriculture officials
Ellanie Smit
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta has announced that intensive commercial farming of buffalos will soon commence in the country. He told Namibian Sun that his ministry is currently in negotiations with the agriculture ministry to release disease-free buffalo from areas north of the red line for this purpose.
Two small disease-free populations exist in the country; one south of the veterinary cordon fence at the Waterberg Plateau Park and one at Tsumkwe at the Nyae Nyae Conservancy.
All other buffalos were eradicated long ago from commercial farmland in the country.
The game-proof cordon fence, stretching across the breadth of northern Namibia, keeps buffalos – as well as all other wildlife and livestock – out of the commercial farming areas of central Namibia. Buffalos are potential carriers of four serious diseases that may be transferred to livestock (foot-and-mouth, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis and corridor disease), and are thus seen as a threat to the livestock industry.
Although private game reserves and hunting operators have for years attempted to legalise disease-free buffalo introductions on their land, hoping to re-establish former large mammal diversity and improve their tourism and hunting products, the cordon has remained closed.
The stringent controls are stipulated at least in part by European Union beef import regulations, to ensure that only 'clean beef' is imported into Europe.
However, Shifeta said that there is a large population of buffalo north of the veterinary cordon fence - some of which are disease-free and therefore they are working in close collaboration with the agriculture ministry on how they can reintroduce the species on commercial farms.
This announcement has been met with great enthusiasm by the wildlife industry who described it as a step in the right direction for the industry.
Speaking to Namibian Sun, professional hunter Jofie Lamprecht said that the news was fantastic for Namibian wildlife and game farmers and that it will hold huge benefits economically for the country.
Buffalos can fetch millions of dollars when auctioned as was the case with a breeding bull that was sold in South Africa for N$168 million last week.
He also pointed out that Namibia already has the Waterberg and Tsumkwe populations that are disease-free and that it will be something special when game farmers are allowed to breed and hunt these animals.
Lamprecht added that the tourism industry will benefit as it will strengthen Namibia promoting its ‘big five’.
According to him it is unconstitutional that game farmers are not allowed in the first place to own and breed buffalos, adding that this is a natural resource that should be used.
“It is shameful,” he said.
He said that the only problem that is foreseen now is whether the meat industry will allow the commercial farming of buffalos and whether they will fight it.
Shifeta also encouraged commercial farmers to start with mixed farming that also includes game to reduce risks. He particularly referred to the drought which he said if it lasted any longer only game farmers would survive. According to him game would then still be able to be sold for their trophies which would still earn an income for farmers.


ELLANIE SMIT

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Namibian Sun 2024-03-29

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Katima Mulilo: 19° | 36° Rundu: 19° | 29° Eenhana: 19° | 29° Oshakati: 21° | 30° Ruacana: 20° | 33° Tsumeb: 19° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 29° Omaruru: 19° | 32° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Gobabis: 17° | 30° Henties Bay: 16° | 20° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 11:22, High tide: 05:24, Low Tide: 23:26, High tide: 17:46 Swakopmund: 16° | 17° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:20, High tide: 05:22, Low Tide: 23:24, High tide: 17:44 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:20, High tide: 05:21, Low Tide: 23:24, High tide: 17:43 Rehoboth: 19° | 30° Mariental: 23° | 34° Keetmanshoop: 24° | 35° Aranos: 22° | 33° Lüderitz: 15° | 28° Ariamsvlei: 24° | 35° Oranjemund: 14° | 25° Luanda: 27° | 28° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 26° Mbabane: 16° | 21° Maseru: 11° | 29° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 27° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 29° Cape Town: 17° | 28° Durban: 20° | 24° Johannesburg: 16° | 24° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 20° | 30° Harare: 16° | 29° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.77 | EUR to NAD 20.35 | CNY to NAD 2.61 | USD to NAD 18.88 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.77 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.15 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.35 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 18.88 | USD to ZMW 25.01 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 74536 Up +0.85% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1528.69 Up +0.84% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12986.94 Up +0.04% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 27559.35 Down -2.36% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - 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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 233.12/OZ UP +1.93% | Copper US$ 3.99/lb UP +0.12% | Zinc US$ 2 455.50/T UP 0% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.65/BBP UP +1.46% | Platinum US$ 908.62/OZ UP +1.53%