Towards better stock farming and marketing in the North

STEPS are being taken towards the speedy implementation of additional veterinary cordon fences in the northern communal areas in a bid by the Government to wipe out diseases that are threatening livestock production and marketing in the North.

A 19-member Namibian delegation which recently toured Botswana to learn more about the use of cordon fences to control the spread of livestock diseases in that country, has recommended that the Cabinet decision on the fence translocation project be implemented as soon as possible. The translocation does not mean physical translocation, but to bring the animal-health status north of the Red Line to the same level as that of animals south of the boundary.The fences would also serve as barriers between wildlife sanctuaries and livestock.The envisaged areas for the fences include the Kavango, Kunene, Caprivi and Mangetti areas and along the Namibia/Angola border.There is currently no livestock vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in the Oshikoto (Mangetti) and Kunene regions, but only against lung sickness.The team that undertook the study tour to Botswana was headed by the Governor of Kunene Region, Dudu Murorua, and included councillors from the northern regions, representatives of the Veterinary Department and farmers’ associations, Meat Board staff and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry.Addressing members of the press in Windhoek yesterday, Murorua said the tour came after repeated calls from farmers requesting that a learning exercise be undertaken to other countries in the region using cordon fences to control livestock diseases such as the notorious foot-and-mouth and the contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, commonly known as lung sickness.The elimination of the two diseases is crucial in international livestock marketing, and would help the country maintain its lucrative European export markets.”Additional fences in the NCAs are needed as precautionary measure to deal with future outbreaks of diseases,” said Murorua, adding that for the fencing exercises to succeed, a strategy to incorporate all involved – from politicians to the local communities – had to be formulated.The cordon-fence task force has an operational plan in place and has a budget for the administration of the project.It is a Government project being implemented by the Meat Board.Speaking at the same occasion, task force project manager Asser Sheuyange said the cordon fences would not be cheap and the exercise would be financed by the Government with assistance from donors.Giving estimates, Sheuyange said the fences cost around N$30000 per kilometre and the project was likely to erect 2 000 km of fencing over the next five to six years.Botswana has more than 8 000 km of veterinary cordon fences.Sheuyange lamented the pace at which the whole issue had been going, “The consultation process has taken too long and the co-ordination of activities was also lacking.”However, the Chief Veterinarian for the northern communal areas, Dr Alistair Samkange, emphasised that erecting the fences would not mean that the area would be automatically rid of diseases.Other steps would be needed before an area could be declared free of diseases and ready for export, he said.In addition to animal-disease control, the delegation also learnt about marketing strategies of livestock and livestock products.The task force has started informing the communities in selected areas about the project and hopes to complete the process by September.The translocation does not mean physical translocation, but to bring the animal-health status north of the Red Line to the same level as that of animals south of the boundary.The fences would also serve as barriers between wildlife sanctuaries and livestock.The envisaged areas for the fences include the Kavango, Kunene, Caprivi and Mangetti areas and along the Namibia/Angola border.There is currently no livestock vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in the Oshikoto (Mangetti) and Kunene regions, but only against lung sickness.The team that undertook the study tour to Botswana was headed by the Governor of Kunene Region, Dudu Murorua, and included councillors from the northern regions, representatives of the Veterinary Department and farmers’ associations, Meat Board staff and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. Addressing members of the press in Windhoek yesterday, Murorua said the tour came after repeated calls from farmers requesting that a learning exercise be undertaken to other countries in the region using cordon fences to control livestock diseases such as the notorious foot-and-mouth and the contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, commonly known as lung sickness.The elimination of the two diseases is crucial in international livestock marketing, and would help the country maintain its lucrative European export markets.”Additional fences in the NCAs are needed as precautionary measure to deal with future outbreaks of diseases,” said Murorua, adding that for the fencing exercises to succeed, a strategy to incorporate all involved – from politicians to the local communities – had to be formulated.The cordon-fence task force has an operational plan in place and has a budget for the administration of the project.It is a Government project being implemented by the Meat Board.Speaking at the same occasion, task force project manager Asser Sheuyange said the cordon fences would not be cheap and the exercise would be financed by the Government with assistance from donors.Giving estimates, Sheuyange said the fences cost around N$30000 per kilometre and the project was likely to erect 2 000 km of fencing over the next five to six years.Botswana has more than 8 000 km of veterinary cordon fences.Sheuyange lamented the pace at which the whole issue had been going, “The consultation process has taken too long and the co-ordination of activities was also lacking.”However, the Chief Veterinarian for the northern communal areas, Dr Alistair Samkange, emphasised that erecting the fences would not mean that the area would be automatically rid of diseases.Other steps would be needed before an area could be declared free of diseases and ready for export, he said.In addition to animal-disease control, the delegation also learnt about marketing strategies of livestock and livestock products.The task force has started informing the communities in selected areas about the project and hopes to complete the process by September.