28 Jan 2026

Government has approved the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) response plan for immediate implementation with P97 million allocated for urgent interventions.
This was revealed by acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Mr David Tshere on Tuesday when addressing the public on government’s FMD preparedness control.
Also, the minister announced an initiative toward a shared financial responsibility model, with the Business Botswana having pledged P1 million already.
The National Development Bank has been appointed to administer funds contributed by the private sector development partners and members of the public.
As the FMD outbreaks in South Africa and Zimbabwe continued to pose a risk of incursion into Botswana, Mr Tshere noted that Botswana’s intention was to ensure that FMD was controlled at a regional level, adding that the transition moved away from a government-driven model to one that actively involved communities, farmers and the private sector.
As such, he called on Batswana to partner with government in controlling the disease including providing financial support amid prevailing fiscal constraints.
As part of mitigation efforts, he said government had established a Foot and Mouth Disease Command Centre, chaired by the Office of the President to coordinate inter-ministerial responses. 
The centre operates a call centre with both a toll-free line and a WhatsApp contact, he said. 
Furthermore, he said community participation would be central to disease prevention and control efforts, including regulating livestock movement through kraaling and herding animals away from high-risk areas.
Mr Tshere said response teams had been deployed along border areas to restrict the movement of cattle from South Africa and Zimbabwe into Botswana.
“Movement restrictions have been imposed in border villages in Ramotswa, Borolong, Kgatleng, Bobirwa, Tutume and the North East District. Disease surveillance has been intensified in these areas, with livestock movement permitted only for animals destined for slaughter and subject to authorised movement permits,” he said.In a move to reduce the risk of FMD transmission, he said the holding period for stray cattle had been reduced from three months to 14 days, adding that unclaimed stray cattle would be slaughtered at the Botswana Meat Commission abattoir, with proceeds directed towards FMD control measures.
Mr Tshere said government continued to enforce strict veterinary protocols for livestock that strayed into neighbouring FMD-affected zones.
 As of January, he said 48 cattle had been destroyed after crossing into South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Mr Tshere highlighted that compensation of P700 would be paid to cattle owners and P200 for goats if animals cross into red zones or show signs of FMD.
The exercise, he said, was being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, cattle producers and non-cattle producers.
Mr Tshere emphasised that FMD posed a severe threat to agriculture due to its high contagiousness and environmental resilience. 
He also encouraged dikgosi to use mophato systems to help control the spread of FMD, citing Bobirwa as an area where the approach had yielded positive results.
A dedicated communication team has also been established to disseminate information, while sensitisation through kgotla meetings has already been conducted in villages including Ramotswa, Borolong, Mochudi and Tutume Districts. ENDS