WINDHOEK – It transpires from the recently launched Livestock Producers Organisation (LPO)’s Vision 2030 document that the Namibian livestock industry faces many challenges in the new year after sailing through some stormy weather when the border posts were shut for livestock exports due to stringent new South African import measures this year.
The LPO Strategic Vision 2030, in which the vision, mission, aims and desired results and actions are spelled out, is the guideline to reach the aims of the organisation through strategic decision-taking processes. The action plan for 2015 is a dynamic document, which can be adapted according to the needs and the changes in the meat industry. The LPO delivers an important and vital service to the livestock industry via handling effective liaison with the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) for the foot and mouth free status and increased affectivity of the DVS offices. It also supports the actions of the Agricultural Trade Forum where agricultural unions give their inputs with regard to trade agreements, control over the progress of all bone-in exports and support for the handling of meat import levies with Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members.
Another very import duty of the LPO is cooperation and giving inputs for the Livestock Marketing Forum and the Livestock Producers Forum with regard to small stock and weaner marketing strategies. The LPO is striving to have the AgriStat programme being implemented in the farming community. The LPO has decided to consider the development of an inter-phase to the current AgriStat programme’s central processing mode. This means that the producer will complete his/her figures with regard to his finances and production information on a standard form at the end of the financial year and send it to the responsible Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) office.
Following continuous negotiations and awareness of role players and government organisations about the necessity of clear definitions, principles and realism of value addition in the manufacturing chain by producer organisations, the MAWF allocated a value-addition study to the company Deloitte and Touche and the conclusion reached was that the value chain of the meat industry is very complicated. The value chain was redefined and now includes for the first time all facets of the value chain based on production, processing and marketing.
The LPO document also stresses the importance of producers complying with the quality control of the FANMeat scheme. This means that no prohibited residue may be used and that accurate registers must be kept to ensure the necessary access to EU markets and to other niche markets. The condition of the national rangeland (the basis of production) remains a great concern for the LPO. A Rangeland and Bush Encroachment Forum and a Rangeland Advisory Forum was founded that drives the rangeland strategy as overhead body and which also serves as liaison between the MAWF and the private sector.
According to the document, one of the aims of the livestock industry is to raise the veterinary status north of the Cordon Fence. A strategic plan to be declared free from Foot and Mouth Disease and lung sickness has been submitted to Cabinet. The plan includes the erection of a fence on the Angolan border and the implementation period for the plan is seven years after approval. Small stock marketing and the marketing of weaners will remain a challenge in 2015, with various options open to the Namibian livestock producers, the document concludes.
By Deon Schlechter