No cattle were lost at the Kavango Cattle Ranch over the past 12 months due to illness, Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) CEO Richwell Lukonga has said.

The positive development was shared during a consultative meeting between NIDA and the Kavango West Regional Council this week, where NIDA presented its plans and achievements for the past year, emphasising improved cattle health and market quality.

The cattle population at Kavango Cattle Ranch has significantly increased, reaching between 11,500 and 12,000 head of cattle compared to between 1,500 and 2,000 in 2021. Lukonga attributed this growth to better management practices implemented over the last year.

The increase marks a major turnaround from 2021, when NIDA first took over the farm. Previously, an estimated 100 cattle died due to mismanagement.

“In the last 12 months, we did not lose any cattle because of any sickness... We were also able to improve the quality of the cattle that we have. We’re able to feed our cattle. We’re also able to make sure that they have enough medicine. They’re well looked after,” Lukonga said.

He emphasised that their focus now is on the future of Kavango Cattle Ranch and transforming it into a profitable business unit for NIDA.

NIDA is actively engaging with key stakeholders, including Meatco and the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade Board, to ensure the profitability of the cattle ranch.

“We are engaging with other important stakeholders such as Meatco... You also see the MIT board coming in as well to see how they could support us in terms of making the Kavango Cattle Ranch a profitable entity,” Lukonga stated.

He concluded by stating that while industrialisation remains a core focus for NIDA, it is crucial to address current challenges at the ranch to ensure its long-term profitability and success.