07 Sep 2022

Government has not yet taken a decision to kill cattle infected with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Zone 6b in the North East District.

Addressing kgotla meetings in Jackalas No.1, Butale and Siviya on Tuesday, the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao said Cabinet would meet on September 12 to discuss the matter.

“We have not yet arrived at a decision to kill all the animals in the infected zone, but a verdict will be taken when Cabinet meets this coming Monday,” said Mr Molao.

The FMD outbreak was confirmed by the Department of Animal Health and Production recently after a farmer in Butale, Mr Benson Samson, reported that his cattle had symptoms related to those of FMD.

Samples were taken from those cattle and the results came out positive.

Mr Molao also informed the residents that more than 38 cattle were reported to have been infected, but figures were likely to rise.

Government, he said, had started vaccinating cattle in Tsamaya and Siviya as a preventative measure.

Vaccination was not a cure, but a preventative measure, therefore farmers should not hide their animals from vaccination, he said.

Minister Molao explained that FMD had a major impact on the beef industry as it could prevent the country from gaining access to major beef markets such as the European Union (EU).

The FMD outbreaks, he said, had proved to be costly since they required radical steps to be taken to control and eradicate the disease.

For instance, during the period 2009 to 2014, government spent P127 211 668 on FMD control.

“Botswana’s envisaged goal is to acquire and maintain an FMD free status in all approved livestock-rearing areas,” he added.

The minister said FMD affected livestock production in southern Africa.

Mr Molao, however, said Botswana and Zimbabwe had put in place an effective FMD control system where the two engaged each other whenever there was an outbreak.

He said in Botswana, the system was based on the division of the country in risk zones and appropriate disease surveillance, livestock identification and movement restriction as well as control in the different risk zones.

Minister Molao warned residents that slaughtering of animals was not allowed in the affected area and only meat supply from areas declared green zones was allowed provided protocols were followed.

Meanwhile, Minister Molao and Kgosi Grace Butale commended Mr Samson for his bravery in reporting the case instead of hiding his animals.

The two leaders said the disease could have spread to the rest of the district without being noticed.

At Siviya, residents requested government to increase compensation should Cabinet decide to kill all the infected animals. They also commended the minister for consulting them.

For his part, MP for Tati East, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe, said FMD outbreak was an emotional time for farmers in the North East since.

He, however, thanked government for upholding the democratic principle of consultation during such trying times.

He told residents that a commission similar to the one appointed by President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi to tackle livestock rustling along the Botswana and Zimbabwe border was likely to be established in the North East District.

The 6b zone area has a history of FMD with the last outbreaks recorded in 2002 and 2003.

Outstanding constraints in FMD control were the rampant cross-border livestock theft, veterinary cordon fence damage attributed to illegal immigrants and an ever-increasing elephant population.

Others constraints included livestock interaction with FMD-susceptible wild animals on the same rangelands and an absence of a protection zone (buffer zone) along the Botswana-Zimbabwe border as well as the general apathy towards daily livestock management by some farmers. ENDS