Senior Business Reporter, Oliver Kazunga
BOTSWANA is set to venture into commercial rabbit farming by emulating Zimbabwe’s successful production and processing model, following the acquisition of a two-and-a-half-hectare piece of land in Francistown by TIPARE Private Limited.
The entity is a wholly-owned Batswana company.
Locally, rabbit production has been resuscitated following the launch of the Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders Association (ZICORBA) in July 2021.
Since its formation, ZICORBA has played a key role in coordinating farmers, providing technical training, promoting standardised production practices and facilitating access to markets.
The association has also been instrumental in transforming Zimbabwe’s rabbit farming into a structured and commercially viable livestock subsector.
In its latest newsletter, ZICORBA said the proposed Botswana project goes far beyond primary production.
“Disclosing the development, TIPARE chairperson Ms Timbu Iris Ntjenje said the company intends to establish Botswana’s largest and most integrated rabbit farming project, positioning Francistown, located on the border with Zimbabwe, as a strategic hub for both production and cross-border trade.
“Plans include the establishment of a commercial rabbit farm, a rabbit training centre, a tannery, a rabbit meat hub, a rabbit meat restaurant, and a rabbit abattoir; all of which would be first-of-their-kind facilities in Botswana,” said the association.
It is believed that once implemented, the initiative would anchor a complete rabbit value chain in the diamond-rich country, creating opportunities for skills development, employment, value addition, and agri-industrial growth.
TIPARE’s board brings together regional expertise with a proven track record.
The company’s directors also include ZICORBA president Mr Regis Nyamakanga and Mrs Paidamoyo Nyamakanga who are also prominent rabbit farmers in Zimbabwe, operating the Zimbabwe’s only rabbit abattoir, which is also among the largest on the African continent.
The two Zimbabwean farmers have successfully led the development and commercialisation of a diverse range of rabbit meat products, helping to grow and formalise the sector.
Their involvement brings tested production models, processing expertise, and downstream innovation to the Botswana project; experience TIPARE hopes to replicate and adapt to the local market.
“With Francistown’s proximity to Zimbabwe and its established trade corridors, TIPARE believes the project is well positioned to serve as a regional centre for rabbit production, processing, and training, strengthening collaboration between farmers across borders.
“If successfully implemented, the initiative could mark a turning point for rabbit farming in Botswana, laying the foundation for a new livestock subsector anchored on sustainability, value addition, and regional knowledge transfer,” said ZICORBA.