Govt moves to eliminate veterinary cordon fence

OPUWO – The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Helmut Angula, says Government is moving towards removing the veterinary redline.

Speaking at the official opening of the Ehomba quarantine camp on Friday, Angula said the health cordon fence that separates the northern regions from the commercial inland farmers would be removed by 2010. Governor of the Kunene Region, Simpson Tjongarero, had asked the Minister to say when the fence would be removed.”There is vision 2030 in place.In the same vain, we have the redline issue.We want our region to be a redline free region by 2010,” Angula said.Livestock from the northern regions are not allowed to cross the redline inland due to fears of spreading disease.Angula said that the red line could be removed if communities in the affected regions would co-operated with Government efforts to remove the line.The regions that are in the redline areas are Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Kavango, Caprivi and Kunene.So far measures that have been taken towards the elimination of the red line include regular vaccinations and the introduction of new livestock brands.”With these measures it is not the Government’s wish to give you a tough time but this is to keep track of the livestock’s origin and areas where the diseases are coming from.These are standards set by people who buy our meat,” Angula explained.”We gave a time table on how we plan to remove the redline and this depends on the farmers and our neighbouring brothers in Angola.In Angola, the farmers living along the border with Namibia should start vaccinating their livestock,” he said.- NampaGovernor of the Kunene Region, Simpson Tjongarero, had asked the Minister to say when the fence would be removed.”There is vision 2030 in place.In the same vain, we have the redline issue.We want our region to be a redline free region by 2010,” Angula said.Livestock from the northern regions are not allowed to cross the redline inland due to fears of spreading disease.Angula said that the red line could be removed if communities in the affected regions would co-operated with Government efforts to remove the line.The regions that are in the redline areas are Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Kavango, Caprivi and Kunene.So far measures that have been taken towards the elimination of the red line include regular vaccinations and the introduction of new livestock brands.”With these measures it is not the Government’s wish to give you a tough time but this is to keep track of the livestock’s origin and areas where the diseases are coming from.These are standards set by people who buy our meat,” Angula explained.”We gave a time table on how we plan to remove the redline and this depends on the farmers and our neighbouring brothers in Angola.In Angola, the farmers living along the border with Namibia should start vaccinating their livestock,” he said.- Nampa