Ethiopia draws valuable experience from Botswana in livestock development: Meles

Addis Ababa, July 13(ENA)-- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says Ethiopia can draw a valuable experience from Botswana in the area of Livestock development industry and marketing.

After visiting animal breeding farm in Ghanzi, some 800-km West of Gaborone, Meles told journalists that although Ethiopia has a very large livestock, it has not yet been well managed and marketed.

"There is a lot we can learn from Botswana in processing and marketing livestock products," Meles noted.

He said Ethiopia was considering the possibilities of sending its professionals to Botswana so that they could get on-job training in the area of livestock development.

Prime Minister Meles also commended the organization and efficiency of Botswana livestock development industry.

Owner of the Animal Breeding Farm, Willem de Graaf, said on his part that the farm, which lies on 4,000 hectares of land, has 400 cattle at present.

The farm sells an average of 600 cattle to the Botswana Meat Commission annually, Graaf said.

He said the farm that was launched some 60 years ago breeds up to 1,200 calves per year.

Prime Minister Meles also visited the Ghanzi game reserve earlier on the day.

Tourism is one of the largest foreign exchange earning sectors of Botswana next to mining and livestock development.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Meles met and held discussions with members of the Ethiopian community in Botswana on national and continental issues here in Gaborone on Saturday.

Asked to elaborate on the measures being taken by the Ethiopian government to seek political solution to its difference with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Meles said the government is exerting efforts to settle the difference through peaceful means.

"We don't want to engage in war with OLF," he said, adding, however, the government has the responsibility to stop anti-peace activities and ensure the rule of law in the country.

Briefing members of the Ethiopian community on the government's anti-HIV/AIDS initiatives, Meles said extensive awareness raising activities are being undertaken by the government to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Although encouraging results were achieved recently in terms of raising the public awareness on HIV/AIDS, more integrated endeavors were required to prevent and control the epidemic, he said.

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