Meatco has officially handed over the operations of the Katima Mulilo Abattoir to the Zambezi Meat Corporation (ZAMCO), ending a five-year management agreement during which the facility processed 17,160 cattle and paid more than N$139.4 million to livestock producers.
The handover concludes a mandate given to Meatco by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform in 2021 to operate the abattoir while building ZAMCO’s technical and operational capacity to manage the facility independently.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Meatco Interim Chief Executive Officer Albertus Aochamub said the abattoir had played a key role in providing a formal market for livestock producers in the Zambezi Region.
“During our tenure, Katima Mulilo Abattoir played a significant role in supporting livestock farmers by providing a formal, reliable and accessible market for their cattle. A total of 17,160 cattle were marketed, generating N$139,379,800 in payments to producers,” Aochamub said.
He said the abattoir also contributed to employment, creating 57 permanent jobs and around 100 temporary jobs each year, supporting household incomes and economic activity in the region.
Aochamub highlighted the implementation of the Commodity-Based Trade (CBT) Protocol as one of Meatco’s biggest achievements during its management of the facility.
He said the programme enabled beef produced in the Northern Communal Areas to access international markets under internationally recognised animal health standards, culminating in the first export of beef from the region to Ghana.
“Through this pioneering initiative, Meatco facilitated the first export of Northern Communal Area beef to Ghana, demonstrating that beef originating from the Northern Communal Areas can successfully access premium international markets while complying with stringent phytosanitary requirements,” he said.
Beyond managing the abattoir, Meatco was also tasked with preparing ZAMCO to take over operations.
According to Aochamub, ZAMCO participated in strategic decision-making through representation on the advisory committee, while Meatco developed livestock procurement systems that have already been adopted by the company.
“I am pleased to state that the technical capacity transfer process has yielded positive results and has laid a solid foundation for the continued operation of the abattoir under ZAMCO,” he said.
To ensure a smooth transition, Meatco confirmed that all employees currently working at the facility will remain in place and that key operational assets installed during the past five years will continue supporting operations.
Although Meatco’s information technology systems cannot be transferred because of licensing and ownership restrictions, Aochamub said the company will continue supporting ZAMCO as it develops its own digital systems.
The Katima Mulilo Abattoir serves as a strategic livestock marketing facility for producers in the Zambezi Region and forms part of government’s efforts to expand value addition and improve market access for farmers in the Northern Communal Areas.
