By: Claudia Immanuel
The agriculture ministry has called on farmers in the southern part of the country to remain alert for Foot and Mouth disease (FMD).
This follows after the directorate of Veterinary Services under the ministry lifted the ban imposed on live cattle imports to control FMD outbreaks in the country. Neighbouring South Africa also lifted its FMD restrictions that were imposed three weeks ago.
Agriculture ministry communications officer Jona Musheko said farmers should be more observant and pay attention to moving trucks in their areas as this disease can come from anywhere.
At the same time, he warned the farmers, especially those who export their livestock to South Africa, to continue observing the measure implemented by the government and the ministry and to be alert.
He said that they could add extra measures to wash the trucks for their farms not to become victims of foot and mouth diseases.
Musheko added that lifting the restriction came as the ministry learned that South Africa had released some measures.
“To allow the business to continue for those transporting livestock to South Africa. We will continue having the measures in place, more especially at the borders,” he said.
Musheko said the ministry introduced new measures to ensure that Namibia does not import FMD into the country.
“Trucks going to South Africa to transport livestock must be registered with the directorate of veterinary services to keep track of which truck travelled to SA,” he said.
He also said that trucks must have a certificate issued in South Africa that proves that the truck was cleaned and disinfected by individuals accredited by the South African veterinary authority before returning to Namibia.
He said that this measure also includes trucks that are exporting animal feeds.
“The trucks without valid cleaning and disinfection certificates will be refused to enter Namibia. Certificates will be presented to Namibia’s veterinary border officials.”
In a statement last month, the agriculture ministry said there would be disinfection of all trucks in the livestock business before entering Namibia. Footbaths were also placed at all entry points, and the ministry will deploy additional staff at border posts to re-enforce searching and inspections of vehicles.
In February this year, Namibia lifted the movement restrictions of cloven-hoofed animals and products imposed following successful control and containment of the FMD, which was detected in the Zambezi region in May last year.
At that time, intensive disease surveillance conducted by the directorate of veterinary services showed that the last confirmed FMD case was reported on 4 November 2021 in the Zambezi region.
In 2015, there was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the north of Namibia. It was the worst case in 40 years, and the outbreak spread to over three regions in less than five months.
In the same year, a total of 14 regions in the northern communal areas reported FMD cases from January to June 2015.
The outbreak cost N$180 million to control, and Namibia was declared free of the disease in January 2016.
