The Kavango East and West regional councils are happy with the prospects of livestock marketing following the opening of the Rundu Abattoir.

The Meat Cooperation of Namibia's bid to manage the government abattoir was successful, and it is currently testing slaughter at the facility.

Meatco held a consultative meeting with the leadership of the two regions and with farmers at Rundu to hear their expectations.

Kavango East Chairperson Damian Maghambayi is happy that the long-awaited reopening of the abattoir could bring business and job opportunities for residents.

"Then we are also saying that the technical arrangements that are still pending, we do not want a delay again until December again, and we are giving the ministry at least until the end of April to finalize this because the actual practicality part has started now, and then it's up to the region to benefit so that we can also export our beef to the global market, so the expectation for the region is that it will create employment for the residents of this region."

Chairperson of the Kavango West Regional Council, Joseph Sikongo, also shared the same sentiments, calling on farmers to optimally utilize the facility.

"I think this is the message. We are happy, and we want to encourage Meatco to open this abattoir this particular year. If it's the Ministry of Agriculture that is delaying, please get my message from Kavango West: We want this abattoir to be operational by late July, then we can bring the cattle—we have the cattle." 

The abattoir is currently test-slaughtering 60 cattle per week, but it has the capacity to slaughter up to 100 cattle per day.

Meatco Chief Executive Officer, Mwilima Mushokobanji, says the company continues to acquire lucrative African and international markets to benefit producers in the northern communal areas.

"We need to make sure that we get this angle right in terms of the sustainability of operating abattoirs in the NCAs, so as Meatco, where we have put more emphasis is on market development because this is where in the past we did not get it right. So as I am talking to you now, I am glad that we are exporting to Ghana and Angola. We are at an advanced stage in terms of finalizing our penetration of the Middle East market, which has higher volumes and is more competitive. Once we get that right, ultimately, for a farmer, what is important is to make sure that we maximize better retention for the farmer because the source of sustainability for an abattoir is to make sure that farmers are in business."

He called for the implementation of the government's "buy local" strategy to compel companies winning supply tenders to source meat from farmers in the NCAs.