Botswana losing shine in the beef market – BIDPA
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BMC’s share of cattle sales declined to 40%
While it is widely acknowledged that the beef industry in Botswana plays an important role as a source of foreign exchange, rural livelihoods and employment, the Botswana Institute of Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA) through a recent working paper have demonstrated that the country is an insignificant player in the world beef market.
A paper by Dr Tebogo Seleka and Pinkie G Ketshabile illustrates that the industry has experienced declining output since the 1970s, leading to a steady fall in exports. “This scenario questions the industry’s sustainability and its continued role as one of the country’s leading sources of foreign exchange,” the two researchers point out.
For the continued sustenance of the beef industry in Botswana, it is important that beef exports remain competitive in the export market. However, the fall in exports experienced since the 1970s may have contributed to declining export competitiveness over time. Seleka and Ketshabile therefore tackled this issue by assessing the export competitiveness of the beef industry in Botswana, employing various indices of RCA.
The working paper revealed that Botswana has been the most competitive beef exporter in the SADC region, followed by Namibia. Export shares against the leading beef exporters indicate that Botswana is an insignificant player in the world beef market.
“However, all other RCA indices suggest that the performance of Botswana’s beef exports was generally impressive, with its competitiveness trends following those for major world beef exporters. Botswana’s beef industry was the most competitive from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, after which it was surpassed by some of the leading beef exporters.”
Seleka and Ketshabile noted a few factors underlying Botswana’s beef export competitiveness.
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
By way of background, Seleka and Ketshabile share that the BMC, a state trading enterprise, has been the sole exporter of beef since its establishment in 1965, which was made possible through a statutory instrument establishing the entity. Its establishment was geared at exporting beef to Britain, owing to colonial ties of the two countries. Botswana beef has also been accorded preferential access into the EU market through various trade arrangements.
“Before 1975, preferential access was made possible through the Commonwealth Preferential System, which allowed for duty free access of Botswana beef to the British market. From 1975 to 2000, non-reciprocal preferential access was made through the beef protocol of the Lomé Convention, signed between the European Commission (EC) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, which exempted ACP beef exports from ad valorem duties levied to non-ACP beef imports into the EC.9 Non-reciprocal trade preferences were further extended through the Cotonou Agreement (CA) during the period from 2001 to 2007, to give the EU and ACP countries time to negotiate WTO compatible Regional Economic Partnership Agreements.”
In 2009, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland signed an interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU, which allowed for the continuation of non-reciprocal preferences. The interim EPA allowed for duty free/ quota free access of Botswana’s beef into the EU market while EU/SADC EPA negotiations were ongoing.
The successful conclusion of negotiations on an EPA between the EU and the SADC EPA Group (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland) on 15 July 2014 will result in the signing of a substantive EPA in the near future to facilitate the continuation of the ongoing preferential access of Botswana’s beef in the EU market.
According to the researchers, without doubt, the above institutions have played critical roles in stimulating the development of a competitive beef industry in Botswana, through promoting export market access.
“However, the same institutions are potential threats to beef export competitiveness in Botswana. First, the single export channel, through a state trading export monopoly, means that the collapse of the state trader may lead to an instant collapse of the beef industry in Botswana. Tis potential threat is not farfetched in that the BMC has operated at idle capacity since the 1980s when its throughput began to steadily decline. Such eminent threat is also reflected in the poor financial performance of the BMC, characterized by declining and negative profits.”
They further note that Botswana’s competitiveness is enhanced by duty free/quota free access of its beef exports to the EU market, while the country’s key competitors are subject to high import duties in the same market. As a result, Botswana’s beef exports are priced higher than world market prices because of trade restricting protectionist policies in the EU market.
According to Seleka and Ketshabile the Trade reforms in the EU that ease trade restrictions would lower beef prices in the EU market, further leading to preference erosion and reduced beef export competitiveness in Botswana.
“Finally, changes in standards in the EU market pose risks to Botswana’s beef industry, particularly where compliance capacity is limited or compliance costs are prohibitive amongst communal farmers. For example, the requirement that cattle should have been kept in a single enclosed area for a given period before they are slaughtered for the EU market is not practical under communal arrangements and serves as a trade barrier.”
According to Seleka and Ketshabile, given that over 80 percent of Botswana’s cattle are in the communal production system, this requirement would therefore lead to reduced exports to the lucrative EU market, impacting adversely on beef industry competitiveness.
SUPPLY-SIDE FACTORS
Botswana’s beef cattle are produced under two distinct production systems of communal and commercial (ranching). The communal system is the most prominent and accounted for more than 80 percent of the country’s cattle population during the period from 1979 to 2012. However, the communal system is less productive than its commercial counterpart.
Seleka and Ketshabile have established that the steady and consistent fall in real cattle producer prices, from P1,228 per 100kg of carcass in 1974 to P776 per 100kg of carcass in 2005, has had long term adverse effects on beef export competitiveness in Botswana.
“This period largely coincides with the reduction in export competiveness against SADC countries and the leading beef exporters. Empirical evidence has also shown that the occurrence of drought in Botswana causes farmers to increase cattle sales, as a strategy to minimize the risk of inventory loss from drought-induced cattle mortalities (BIDPA 2006).”
However, in subsequent good years following drought, farmers engage in inventory accumulation to rebuild their breeding stock, and thereby reducing cattle sales. Thus, such drought-induced decisions have had both short- and long-term adverse impacts on beef export competitiveness.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks have also impacted adversely on cattle sales directly through the banning of trade from affected areas. Moreover, FMD outbreaks have had long-term adverse impacts on the beef industry where they have led to the imposition of mandatory cattle destruction in the affected areas to halt further FMD spread.
They note that mandatory cattle destruction impacts adversely on cattle sales to the BMC and overall beef exports. In addition it also reduces the breeding stock now, leading to a reduction in future cattle sales, as these (cattle sales) positively relate with cattle inventory.
“Moreover, subsequent restocking exercises with cattle from disease free areas divert cattle sales from slaughter, further impacting adversely on cattle sales and beef exports. All these decisions adversely affect beef industry competitiveness in both the short- and long-term. In sum, the predominance of the communal production system, stagnant cattle population, high communal cattle mortality rates, low communal cattle offtake rates, declining cattle producers’ prices, and recurrent outbreaks of drought and livestock diseases have collectively contributed to the observed decline in the competitiveness of the beef industry in Botswana. If these factors are not effectively addressed, Botswana’s beef industry is likely to continue to experience declining competitiveness in future,” they write.
DEMAND-SIDE FACTORS
The live cattle market in Botswana may be described as oligopsonistic, with the BMC being a price leader and a residual buyer of live cattle and numerous other buyers constituting the price-taking fringe firms (BIDPA 2006).
Given stagnant cattle supply, Seleka and Ketshabile posit that an increase in domestic demand for beef in Botswana, due to increasing per capita income, would yield a reduction in cattle sales to the BMC. Since BMC is the sole exporter of beef in Botswana, this would further yield a reduction in beef exports.
The BMC’s share of cattle sales declined from about 80 percent in 1981 to 40 percent in 2012, representing a significant loss of market share.
“If we add the share of feedlots to that of BMC, assuming they sell cattle to BMC, the share for 2012 is estimated at 43 percent. This can be contrasted from the share of local abattoirs, which rose from 9 percent in 1981 to about 40 percent in 2012. Given that BMC slaughters cattle primarily for the export market and that local abattoirs slaughter solely for the domestic market, it then follows that the rising demand for beef in Botswana.”
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The curtain came down at the PAP session with pomp and FUNFAIR
It was pomp and funfair at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) on March 18 as the African Cultural Music and Dance Association (ACUMDA) brought the curtains down on the PAP session with a musical performance.
The occasion was the celebration of the Pan-African Parliament Day (PAP Day) which commemorated the inauguration of the first Parliament of the PAP on 18 March 2004 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The celebrations took place at the seat of the Parliament in Midrand to “reflect on the journey” as the institution turns 19. The event sought to retrace the origin and context of the establishment of the PAP.
The celebrations included musical performances by ACUMDA and a presentation by Prof. Motshekga Mathole of the Kara Heritage Institute on “Whither Pan-Africanism, African Culture, and Heritage.”
The PAP Day was officially launched in 2021 to educate citizens about the Continental Parliament and ignite conversations about its future in line with its mandate.
The establishment of the PAP among the AU organs signalled a historical milestone and the most important development in the strengthening of the AU institutional architecture. It laid solid groundwork for democratic governance and oversight within the African Union system and provided a formal “platform for the peoples of Africa to get involved in discussions and decision-making on issues affecting the continent.”
The genesis of the PAP can be legally traced back to 1991 with the adoption of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community, adopted on June 3, 1991, in Abuja (also known as the Abuja Treaty). This treaty defined the pillars and grounds for realizing economic development and integration in Africa and called for the creation of a continental parliament, among a set of other organs, as tools for the realization of African integration and economic development. This call was reemphasized in the Sirte Declaration of 1999, which called for the accelerated implementation of the provisions of the Abuja Treaty.
PAP celebrated its ten years of existence in March 2014, a year which coincided with the adoption, on June 27, 2014, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, of the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP Malabo Protocol), which, once in force, will transform the PAP into a legislative body of the AU. It requires a minimum of 28 countries to ratify it before it comes into force.
Therefore, the commemoration of PAP Day serves as a reminder to the decision-makers around the continent to fulfil their commitment to the PAP by ratifying its Protocol, 19 years after sanctioning its establishment. 14 AU member states have so far ratified the Malabo Protocol.
The celebrations of PAP Day coincided with the closing ceremony of the sitting of the PAP Permanent Committees and other organs. The Sitting took place in Midrand, South Africa under the AU theme for 2023, “Accelerating the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)” from 6 to 17 March 2023.
PAP President, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, expressed appreciation to members for their commitment during the two-week engagement.
“We have come to the end of our program, and it is appropriate that we end on a high note with the PAP Day celebrations.
“We will, upon your return to your respective countries, ensure that the work achieved over the past two weeks is transmitted to the national level for the benefit of our citizens,” concluded H.E. Chief Charumbira.
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PAP needs to priorities land issues-Prof Mathole
Prof Motshekga Mathole of the Kara Heritage Institute has advised the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to prioritise the land issue in the continent if they are to remain relevant.
He said this while addressing the Plenary during the commemoration of PAP Day held at the PAP Chambers in Midrand, South Africa
The PAP Day was officially launched in 2021 to commemorate the inauguration of the first Parliament on 18 March 2004 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Intended as a platform for people of all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on problems and challenges facing the continent.
In a speech titled “Whither Pan-Africanism, African Culture, and Heritage,” Prof Mathole stated that for PAP to remain relevant, it must address the continent’s key land dilemma, which he feels is the core cause of all problems plaguing the continent
“If this Parliament is to be taken seriously, ownership of land and natural resources must be prioritized at the national and continental levels. Africans are not poor; they are impoverished by imperialist nations that continue to hold African land and natural resources,” said Prof Mathole.
“When African leaders took power from colonialists, they had to cope with poverty, unemployment, and other issues, but they ignored land issues. That is why Africa as a whole is poor today. Because our land and minerals are still in the hands of colonizers, Africa must rely on Ukraine for food and Europe for medical.”
Prof Mathole believes that the organization of the masses is critical as cultural revolution is the only solution to Africa’s most problems.
“We need a cultural revolution for Africa, and that revolution can only occur if the masses and people are organized. First, we need a council of African monarchs since they are the keepers of African arts, culture, and heritage. We need an African traditional health practitioners council because there is no ailment on the planet that cannot be healed by Africans; the only problem is that Africans do not harvest and process their own herbs,” he said.
Meanwhile, PAP President, H.E. Hon Chief Fortune Charumbira expressed satisfaction with the commitment displayed throughout the two-week period and said the PAP Day celebrations were befitting curtains down to the august event.
“On this high note of our two-week engagement, it is appropriate that we close our program on a high note with PAP celebrations, and I would like to thank everyone for your commitment, and please continue to be committed,” said H.E Hon Chief Charumbira.
PAP’s purpose as set out in Article 17 of the African Union Constitutive Act, is “to ensure the full participation of African people in the development and economic integration of the continent”. As it stands, the mandate of the Parliament extends to consultation and playing an advisory and oversight role for all AU organs pending the ratification protocol.
Also known as the Malabo Protocol, the Protocol to the consultative act of the AU relating to the PAP was adopted at the Assembly of Heads of State and Government summit in June 2014 and is intended to extend the powers of the PAP into a fully-fledged legislative organ. It requires a minimum of 28 countries to ratify it before it comes into force.
The commemoration of the PAP Day, therefore, serves as a reminder to the decision-makers around the continent to fulfil their commitment to the PAP by ratifying its Protocol, 17 years after sanctioning its establishment. 14 AU member states have so far ratified the Malabo Protocol.
The PAP Day commemoration also aims to educate citizens about the PAP and ignite conversations about the future of the continental Parliament in line with its mandate.
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DPP drops Kably threat to kill case
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Letlhakeng/Lephephe Liakat Kably has welcomed the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s decision not to prosecute BDP councillor, Meshack Tshenyego who allegedly threatened to kill him. However, the legislator has warned that should anything happen to his life, the state and the courts will have to account.
In an interview with this publication, Kablay said he has heard that the DPP has declined to prosecute Tshenyego in a case in which he threatened to kill him adding that the reasons he received are that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. “I am fine and at peace with the decision not to prosecute over evidential deficits but I must warn that should anything happen to my life both the DPP and the Magistrate will have to account,” Kablay said.
Connectedly, Kably said he has made peace with Tshenyego, “we have made peace and he even called me where upon we agreed to work for the party and bury the hatchet”.
The DPP reportedly entered into a Nolle Prosequi in the matter, meaning that no action would be taken against the former Letlhakeng Sub-district council chairperson and currently councillor for Matshwabisi.
According to the charge sheet before the Court, councilor Tshenyego on July 8th, 2022 allegedly threatened MP Kably by indirectly uttering the following words to nominatedcouncilor Anderson Molebogi Mathibe, “Mosadi wa ga Liakat le ban aba gagwe ba tsile go lela, Mosadi wame le banake le bone ba tsile go lela. E tla re re mo meeting, ka re tsena meeting mmogo, ke tla mo tlolela a bo ke mmolaya.”
Loosely translated this means, Liakat’s wife and children are going to shed tears and my wife and kids will shed tears too. I will jump on him and kill him during a meeting.
Mathibe is said to have recorded the meeting and forwarded it to Kably who reported the matter to the police.
In a notice to the Magistrate Court to have the case against Tshenyego, acting director of Public Prosecutions, Wesson Manchwe cited the nolle prosequi by the director of public prosecution in terms of section 51 A (30) of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana as reasons for dropping the charges.
A nolle prosequi is a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit or action.
“In pursuance of my powers under section 51 A (300 of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana, I do hereby stop and discontinue criminal proceedings against the accused Meshack Tshenyego in the Kweneng Administrative District, CR.No.1077/07/2022 being the case of the State vs Tshenyego,” said Manchwe. The acting director had drafted the notice dropping the charges on 13th day of March 2023.
The case then resumed before the Molepolole Magistrate Solomon Setshedi on the 14th of March 2023. The Magistrate issued an order directing “that matters be withdrawn with prejudice to the State, accused is acquitted and discharged.”