Zebaldt Ngaruka
Meatco, through its corporate and social responsibility vehicle, the Meatco Foundation, officially handed over crush pens valued at N$1.1 million to the Eiseb Block community in the Omaheke region recently.
Speaking at the inauguration and official handover ceremony recently, Usiel Kandjii, who is the communal representative on the Meatco Board, said the foundation has a mandate to serve communal producers around the country.
“This is simple because it is very difficult for rural producers to penetrate the mainstream agricultural market at abattoir level and get the best prices compared to their commercial counterparts,” he emphasised.
Kandjii added that it is very important for Meatco to develop basic marketing facilities within communities to allow producers to have access to information and markets in the value chain to enhance their income.
Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate, on his part, commended Meatco for its generosity and echoed that the auction pens are a relief for Eiseb farmers who can now cut long-distance travel when selling their livestock at faraway places.
“This was a worrisome situation which brought not only discomfort but loss of income due to many charges,” explained Nganate.
He then called for a change in the exporting of cattle on the hoof to foreign markets in order to create more jobs and promote rural development by adding value to local products.
“If we slaughter our cattle inside the country, we can have meat products sold at affordable prices to our people and some given away to marginalised communities. Thus, hunger will no longer be part of our agenda, but we will have a region that is food self-sustaining,” he explained.
The governor noted that opportunities are enormous as far as employment is concerned, citing adding value to livestock, for instance, to produce leather products from skin, and buttons and necklaces from horns.
“This cannot happen because our cattle are going on the hoof with their skins and horns,” Nganate reasoned.
On his part, chairperson of Eiseb Block Farmer’s Association (EFA) Dion Hekemo expressed appreciation for the facility, adding that it will curb the usual long-distance travel to various auctions and permits in the region and beyond.
“We, the EFA, have to thank our government and Meatco for establishing such an assembly point for marketing where we can market our livestock. The association will make sure that this will be taken care of as this is part of the development within the community,” said Hekemo.
He warned residents to refrain from vandalising the property.
Since 2016, the meat entity has constructed crush pens in different parts of the country, like at Okangoho, Helena, Gam, Omuramba, and now Eiseb Pos 10.