Namibia warns illegal FMD vaccines, livestock smuggling threaten beef exports and disease-free status

Only the state veterinary authority may possess foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines in Namibia’s FMD-free zone, the ministry of agriculture has warned.

Chief veterinary officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Dr Kennedy Shoombe yesterday said no individual or private institution is allowed to have the vaccine.

In addition, he also said any animal entering Namibia illegally would be put down under animal health laws because of the infection risk.

“That is a transgression of an animal which can be potentially infected and can bring infection to the national herd,” he said.

“So in the FMD-free zone of Namibia, we don’t vaccinate, and there is no person or institution except the competent authority, which is veterinary services, allowed to be in possession of the FMD vaccine.

It cannot be in the possession of anyone else besides the relevant authority,” Shoombe said.

He said veterinary teams have been deployed to patrol border areas to detect illegal animal movement.

The warning follows concerns raised by agriculture officials that illegal vaccines and informal livestock movement pose one of the biggest threats to Namibia’s FMD-free-without-vaccination status, which underpins beef exports.

Agricultural development deputy executive Kingsley Kwenani told a multi-sectoral FMD meeting at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management last week that smuggled vaccines and uncontrolled cattle crossings could trigger an immediate shutdown of export markets.

“We do not need to have the FMD vaccine smuggled into the free zone,” Kwenani said.

He said Namibia’s international market access depends on maintaining a non-vaccination status in the FMD-free zone, meaning only the state may hold and deploy vaccines if required.

Kwenani warned that animals entering the country outside veterinary controls, including informal cross-border exchanges, are among the highest-risk pathways for the virus.

“If a case is detected in the free zone, whether you have containers on the way or not, those containers will never enter the market. It is closed completely,” he said.

Previously Disadvantaged Namibian Farmers’ Union chairperson Jane Kahungi says farmers are aware that vaccinations are tightly controlled.
Kuhanga says only the government can possess the FMD vaccines.

“It has to be tested to see which strain it is – the first, second, or third strain. It is all within the government. Even if you can afford it, you cannot just buy it,” she says.

She adds that full cooperation from farmers is essential for the measures to succeed.
“We are at the mercy of the government.

We all need to give our best. Everybody, even if you go to South Africa, try to disinfect and comply.

This is how we help protect Namibia,” she says.

Kuhanga says FMD has caused widespread fear among farmers and producers.

“When you react to fear it triggers emotions and other things follow,” she says.

Comparing the situation to Covid-19, Kuhanga warns that panic can lead to rushed or incorrect decisions that could worsen the threat.

Regional risk has increased following outbreaks in neighbouring countries, prompting intensified surveillance, border patrols and inspections in high-risk areas.

Officials say border patrols, surveillance and inspections have been intensified as regional outbreaks in southern Africa increase the risk of introduction.

Agriculture authorities and industry bodies have urged farmers and the public to comply with veterinary regulations, avoid informal livestock movement and report suspected cases immediately to prevent the virus from entering Namibia’s national herd.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.