16 Jul 2024

The frequent Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) occurrences in Zimbabwe, which eventually led to outbreaks to Botswana’s Zone 6b has necessitated farmers’ education in the area in order to equip them with the necessary knowledge to help combat the animal disease.

As such Department of Veterinary Services in partnership with EU-SADC EPA Implementation Support Programme has embarked on a three-day farmers’ workshop to sensitise and raise awareness among the influential community members on FMD.

North East District agriculture coordinator, Mr Gwilizani Maposa stated that the exercise was crucial, more so that the restocking exercise for Zone 6b was underway. EU-SADC EPA Support Programme’s mandate is to promote investment especially by empowering women, among others.

As such the organisers found it fit to conduct a workshop where community leaders; dikgosi and village development committee members were invited to be trained with intent of them going to spread the FMD preventative messages to farmers in the villages.

Mr Maposa stated that pastoral farming was the main agricultural activity among all the 10 villages covering Zone 6b.

Zone 6b has been hit by three FMD outbreaks in the last 10 years.

“In 2022 we lost close to 10 000 cattle and we are to restock more than 7 000.

Sadly, some of the restocked cattle are now dying,” added Mr Maposa.

The objective of the workshop was for farmers to acquire the knowledge of diseases for the purpose of early detection as well as prevention methods to reduce mortalities.

For his part, Department of Veterinary Services principal scientific officer, Mr Kebitselepe Motsele said was to sensitise farmers on good management practices on animal welfare.

It was also meant to facilitate farmers to strengthen good farming practices in order to eventually be able to comply with national or regional animal movement and disease controls, thereby maximising profits from their livestock enterprise. ENDS