15 Jul 2026

Chobe District continues to maintain a free Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) status despite recurring outbreaks that have plagued various regions across the country.

Veterinary experts have attributed this success to the district robust multi layered defense strategy designed to protect the designated FMD red zone.

In an interview with Principal Veterinary Officer- Chobe District Dr Tichaona Aaron explained that the district maintained a rigorous schedule of three vaccinations annually which were scheduled for March, July and November.

This, he pointed out achieved 90 per cent coverage consistently hence creating an immune wall that prevented the virus from establishing traction in cattle.

“As a district we do not wait for the disease to appear instead we embark on active surveillance and post vaccination monitoring to continuously verify the efficacy of the vaccines.”

He explained that the outbreak in the green zones spread rapidly because the virus was entirely foreign to these animals.

The officer alluded that unlike in Chobe where periodic vaccines trained cattle immune systems to fight the disease, animals in other zones had never been vaccinated against FMD.

Moreover, Dr Aaron emphasised that the strict enforcement of red zone movement protocols prevented the accidental introduction of the virus from other zones currently battling FMD outbreaks.

The officer commended Chobe farmers for embracing the strict vaccination programme noting their dedication reflected a collective resilience of local stakeholders.

He warned that Chobe’s dense wildlife population including African buffalo which carried the FMD virus posed a threat to maintaining a disease free status in a red zone.

“The interaction between cattle and wildlife at grazing and water points is a constant risk factor for spillover,” he added.

He said Chobe’s transboundary location exacerbated disease risks due to movement of livestock and wildlife crossing international borders for water and grazing.

Dr Aaron advised farmers to keep adhering to the vaccination schedule to protect their livestock therefore safeguarding the entire regional economy and maintain the potential for future market access.

“Respect movement protocols because they are meant to protect you, your neighbours and the entire beef industry,” he said. ENDS