17 Mar 2026

Although Zone Seven, which Bobirwa District Council (BDC) falls under, has not yet registered any case of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) as of February 18, the council remains on high alert since the risk has not yet dissipated, council chairperson, Mr Johannes Gaosikelwe says.

The council is bordered by South Africa and Zimbabwe, the two countries where cases of FMD were recorded. It is against this backdrop that the district is not letting their guard down, with the command center fully operational to coordinate surveillance, response and prevention measures.

“This geographical reality places our district at greater risk of potential disease transmission, particularly through livestock movements across borders,” said Mr Gaosikelwe.

For continuous monitoring and coordinated response to the situation, weekly district leadership briefings are held to review updates from district teams.

The council has supported the response by mobilising critical resources to strengthen the frontline and strategic response. The support includes deployment of 13 technical personnel to reinforce operational teams. Additionally, the council also provided fleet resources such as surveillance vehicles inter alia to facilitate erection of borderline fence.

“In addition, a low-bed and plant machinery have been placed on standby to respond swiftly to any emergency requirements that may arise during the operation,” said Mr Gaosikelwe.

Although some extensive surveillance activities were conducted across the district on February 13 and yielded a clean bill of health for Zone Seven and some initial restrictions having been lifted, the council chairperson warned that the risk had not disappeared.

“It is therefore critical that we maintain strict vigilance and adherence to veterinary regulations,” he said as he urged farmers to continuously work with veterinary officers, saying continued cooperation, discipline and vigilance by all would protect the vital sector.

On other issues, the chairperson said that the citrus sector continued to position Bobirwa, home to two major citrus projects of Selebi-Phikwe Citrus and Kwadiwa Citrus, as an emerging agricultural hub.

The two citrus projects, the chairperson reported, had satisfied international phytosanitary requirements and were preparing for massive export season starting this month. Lemon exports are expected in a few weeks while oranges export is expected in June.

Additionally, the district is anticipating the establishment of another major citrus project under Lesabokwe Trust. It is expected to extend citrus production to the villages of Robelela and Tshokwe, stretching towards Dikgatlhong Dam area.

“This project is projected to attract an investment of approximately P500 million and create over 1000 employment opportunities, further strengthening Bobirwa’s position as a key player in Botswana’s agricultural transformation and export-led growth,” the chairperson explained.

Meanwhile, he reported that international market access negotiations with global giants as the United States of America, China, India and Korea, were ongoing. ENDS