Govt proposes new red line in Mangetti

FARMERS north of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF) have welcomed plans by Government to gradually shift the so-called red line towards the Angolan border.

Those farming in the VCF area cannot export their cattle or meat products south of the veterinary line or to overseas markets. This is because the area has not been declared free of animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.Regions covered by the cordon fence include parts of Oshikoto and Kunene as well as the whole of the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Kavango and Caprivi regions.The VCF is used as a control fence in animal disease control.According to the Chairman of the Mangetti Farmers’ Association, Ismael Shailemo, Government has agreed to fence off pockets of land situated north of the red line and declare these semi-commercial areas to start incorporating the farmers into the international export market.According to 2006 estimates there are 1,3 million animals north of the red line compared to 700 000 south of the cordon fence.The purpose of moving the fence to the Angolan border is to enable northern farmers to export to a larger market and to integrate them into a wider Namibian livestock market.The addition of livestock north of the red line to Namibia’s meat supply chain will greatly boost the country’s export volumes.In 2001 the Government set itself a target of 10 years to move the fence to the Angolan border.Shailemo said besides Mangetti, the authorities have also agreed that the farming area in Uuvudhiya constituency in the south of the Oshana Region and the Omutambagwomawe farming area in Kunene Region will be fenced off and treated as semi-commercial farmland.The Government’s plan to incorporate northern farmers into Namibia’s meat supply chain is two-pronged – moving the red line to the northern border and at the same time embarking on a vigorous vaccination programme in the affected areas.It costs Government more than N$7 million dollars a year to inoculate livestock north of the fence free of charge.Shailemo said although cattle in the Mangetti area are vaccinated and believed to be disease free, there is a danger of unvaccinated animals from Angola straying into Namibia.He warned farmers that plans to fence off the entire border with Angola to stop the cross-border movement of animals would take some time to implement.Government has not yet started fencing off the areas that will be incorporated into the commercial farming area because negotiations are still underway between the Ministries of Land and Resettlement and Agriculture, Water and Forestry and the Mangetti Farmers’ Association.According to Shailemo, there is regular contact with Angolan government representatives, especially with the Governor of Cunene Province, about the issue.”They are also welcoming the idea,” Shailemo said.This is because the area has not been declared free of animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.Regions covered by the cordon fence include parts of Oshikoto and Kunene as well as the whole of the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Kavango and Caprivi regions.The VCF is used as a control fence in animal disease control.According to the Chairman of the Mangetti Farmers’ Association, Ismael Shailemo, Government has agreed to fence off pockets of land situated north of the red line and declare these semi-commercial areas to start incorporating the farmers into the international export market.According to 2006 estimates there are 1,3 million animals north of the red line compared to 700 000 south of the cordon fence.The purpose of moving the fence to the Angolan border is to enable northern farmers to export to a larger market and to integrate them into a wider Namibian livestock market.The addition of livestock north of the red line to Namibia’s meat supply chain will greatly boost the country’s export volumes.In 2001 the Government set itself a target of 10 years to move the fence to the Angolan border. Shailemo said besides Mangetti, the authorities have also agreed that the farming area in Uuvudhiya constituency in the south of the Oshana Region and the Omutambagwomawe farming area in Kunene Region will be fenced off and treated as semi-commercial farmland.The Government’s plan to incorporate northern farmers into Namibia’s meat supply chain is two-pronged – moving the red line to the northern border and at the same time embarking on a vigorous vaccination programme in the affected areas.It costs Government more than N$7 million dollars a year to inoculate livestock north of the fence free of charge. Shailemo said although cattle in the Mangetti area are vaccinated and believed to be disease free, there is a danger of unvaccinated animals from Angola straying into Namibia.He warned farmers that plans to fence off the entire border with Angola to stop the cross-border movement of animals would take some time to implement.Government has not yet started fencing off the areas that will be incorporated into the commercial farming area because negotiations are still underway between the Ministries of Land and Resettlement and Agriculture, Water and Forestry and the Mangetti Farmers’ Association.According to Shailemo, there is regular contact with Angolan government representatives, especially with the Governor of Cunene Province, about the issue.”They are also welcoming the idea,” Shailemo said.