09 Jun 2026

Assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Mr Motsamai Motsamai has praised Werda residents for repairing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) containment fences in their area.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Werda on Monday, Mr Motsamai applauded their hard work, describing it as a prime example of the collective effort needed across the nation.

“This is exemplary work. The government cannot help alone. It is upon us as Batswana to join hands and fight this disease.”

The assistant minister also pointed out that the primary goal right now was strictly containment, to ensure that the highly contagious virus did not spread beyond its current borders.

“The aim is to fight the virus so that it does not spread further. At the very least, let it remain where it is right now instead of spreading to clean zones,” he said.

Mr Motsamai painted a sombre picture of how FMD had devastated the socio-economic fabric of Botswana, saying cattle rearing was central to the culture and economy of Batswana.

"FMD has severely affected the livelihoods of our people. The crisis has also triggered a harsh ripple effect through the agricultural labour sector. Farm workers are facing growing hardship, with many losing their jobs entirely while others go without their monthly wages as cattle owners struggle financially, he added.

On a macro level, he said the entire country was feeling the economic sting.

Botswana’s lucrative beef export industry has taken a massive hit, particularly following the closure of European Union market.

While the government has already intervened by rolling out targeted cattle vaccination campaigns, Mr Motsamai warned that human behaviour could compromise these efforts.

Therefore, he called for an immediate tightening of stocktheft laws, noting that the illegal and unregulated movement of stolen animals was a major catalyst for spreading the virus.

Furthermore, Mr Motsamai condemned the panic-driven movement of livestock by farmers trying to evade the disease zones.

“We have realised that some people are moving animals to other areas, thinking they are running away from the disease. In reality, this dangerous practice only carries the virus to new, uninfected areas.”

Reinforcing the government’s aggressive stance on the ground, Director of the Department of Veterinary Services, Dr Kobedi Segale, detailed the ongoing clinical interventions aimed at halting the virus.

Dr Segale revealed that field teams had already vaccinated over 20 000 animals across the affected ranches and surrounding areas, noting that veterinary officers were working to complete the vaccination process.

He stressed that completely eradicating FMD was the country’s only path back to economic stability, warning that international trade would remain paralysed as long as the virus lingered.

The director also called for absolute cooperation from livestock owners, noting that veterinary efforts are entirely dependent on public cooperation.

"Let us comply and cooperate. If you are told to bring your animals for inspection or vaccination, please do that. We can only achieve this through strict compliance."

In a major shift regarding cross-border biosecurity, Dr Segale warned that traditional, casual interactions along the border needed to change to safeguard the national herd. ENDS