11 Aug 2019

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has appreciated Botswana’s efforts towards tackling Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

This followed the recent declaration of Zone 7 as a green zone. OIE is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for animal health, welfare and veterinary public health.

The organisation also ensures transparency in global animal disease situation, provides expertise and encourages international solidarity in the control of animal disease.

OIE sub-regional representative in Botswana, Dr Moetapele Letshwenyo congratulated Botswana in an interview after the just-ended Commodity Based Trade (CBT) stakeholder validation workshop, where he presented about reflection on OIE, the challenges and opportunities around CBT.

He said the declaration of zone 7 was a welcome development as the country had been granted certain status and issued with a certificate.

In addition, he said the declaration of Zone 7 as a green zone was an indication that the department of veterinary services was doing their best to control and contain the disease with an aim to secure lucrative beef markets.

He acknowledged veterinary officers efforts in collaboration with farmers, saying they did well to ensure that Zone 7 was free from FMD. He said the country could now start negotiations with the European Union markets to expand the beef market.

OIE, he said was committed to continuous improvement of the standards based on new scientific information and encouraged member countries to participate fully in the standards setting process.

Dr Letshwenyo revealed that other areas such as Ngamiland and Chobe were the most difficult to eradicate FMD as cattle were mixing with buffaloes.

The two areas, he said called for more innovative means and cited Commodity Based Trade (CBT) as one of the innovation that could benefit the areas.

He stated that the areas also needed official control program in operation citing 100 per cent vaccination, buffer fence to separate cattle from buffaloes.

Dr Letshwenyo mentioned some CBT opportunities such as enabling trade from high risk areas, better income for farmers and sustainability of the livestock sector among others.

He encouraged good cattle management, utilisation of quarantine system, separation of infected animals from non-infected, effective surveillance, movement control as some risk mitigation at all levels. ENDS