Botswana college considers leather course
The Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) will consider running a course on leather technology to address the challenges faced by the leather industry in Botswana.
Speaking to local media at a seminar that analysed the leather industry in Botswana, BCA lecturer, John Moreki said that the college is currently drafting the course. He said the accreditation of the course would be finalised after a needs assessment has been conducted. “We are convinced that it is appropriate for this course to be carried out,” he said.
Research carried out by the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) indicated that inadequate slaughter facilities lead to loss of raw hides mainly due to poor handling and damage during home slaughter.
“The local primary processing of leather is dominated by survivalist and micro-artisan tanners who are mostly engaged in vegetable tanning,” said Dynah Solani, LEA research manager.
The artisan tanners process hides and skins mainly from home and ceremonial animal slaughters and localised butcheries. LEA has intensified its business development services at its leather incubation centre through engagements of technical experts to disseminate the findings of the study to stakeholders so that there can be buy-in of initiatives that the authority will engage in to turn around the local leather industry.
