Cabinet has approved a critical containment plan to stop the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the ||Kharas region from spreading to other parts of Namibia.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced this during a high-level address on the FMD outbreak at State House on Monday.
The plan, approved on Sunday, includes creating a containment buffer zone in the Karasburg Veterinary District, repairing parts of the Namibia-Botswana border fence and putting up veterinary cordon fencing in high-risk areas along the South African border.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the measures are aimed at controlling the movement of animals and protecting areas that have not been affected by the outbreak.
As of Sunday, veterinary surveillance teams had inspected 29 313 animals on 68 farms, with 127 positive FMD cases confirmed on 15 farms.
Twenty surveillance teams have been deployed, while 10 roadblocks have been set up across the ||Kharas region as part of efforts to contain the disease.
The latest figures represent a significant increase since the outbreak was confirmed on 23 September following laboratory testing of samples collected during veterinary surveillance.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said Cabinet met on Saturday to assess the outbreak and determine what further interventions were required under the Animal Health Act.
“Cabinet has directed the immediate implementation of the relevant provisions of the Animal Health Act and the strengthening of disease-control and biosecurity measures,” she said.
She said institutions involved in the response have been instructed to work together and act urgently to contain the outbreak.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the outbreak has caused uncertainty for those that depend on the livestock industry.
“The livestock and meat industry is one of the cornerstones of our economy,” she said.
She added that the industry supports livelihoods throughout its value chain, including farmers, farmworkers, transporters, meat processors and exporters.
“Our immediate task is clear. We must contain the outbreak, prevent its spread and protect unaffected herds, so that normal production and trade can resume as quickly and safely as possible,” she said.
The president acknowledged that livestock movement restrictions and disruptions to trade are putting financial pressure on farmers, workers and businesses.
“For many families, this uncertainty concerns their next income and their ability to sustain their livelihoods,” she said.
The president urged farmers and other industry players to continue following veterinary public notices, which remain the official source of guidance on animal health measures.
