Botswana Steps Up FMD Controls In Disease Control Zone 11
Authorities are expanding livestock movement controls and fencing high-risk areas as part of efforts to contain Foot and Mouth Disease in Zone 11.
Government has intensified measures to contain Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Disease Control Zone 11, including the construction of fences intended to restrict livestock movement between villages and across borders.
The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), under the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, is implementing the measures as part of a broader response involving surveillance and vaccination.
Goodhope District Council chairperson Gofaone Nkhwane informed councillors of the developments during a full council meeting on Friday.
He said the fences would help prevent uncontrolled movement of cloven-hoofed animals, which can contribute to the transmission of FMD.
Fencing Targets High-Risk Routes
Nkhwane said the fencing programme is intended to close potential routes through which the disease could spread between communities and across national borders.
“These fences are designed to curtail uncontrolled movement of cloven-hoofed animals, prevent cross-border and inter-village transmission, and support surveillance and vaccination operations currently under way,” he said.
The fencing is being rolled out in phases, with priority given to high-risk corridors and areas where disease spread has been confirmed or suspected.
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Nkhwane said restricting livestock movement was an important component of disease control because uncontrolled movement could undermine vaccination and surveillance efforts while creating opportunities for transmission into previously unaffected areas.
The fencing programme will complement existing surveillance and vaccination measures being undertaken by veterinary authorities.
Council Diverts Equipment To FMD Response
Goodhope District Council has also committed equipment to support the government response.
Nkhwane said the council had pledged one grader, one bulldozer and two trucks to supplement equipment already being used in the FMD response.
“In support of this response, council has pledged one grader, one dozer, and two trucks to augment the fleet deployed in the fight against FMD,” he said.
The deployment will affect the council’s normal road-grading programme.
“This necessary intervention will affect our normal grading schedule, and we ask for your indulgence as we prioritise the urgent response to the outbreak,” Nkhwane said.
He said protecting the district’s livestock economy and restoring stability in affected communities should remain the council’s immediate priority.
Disease Control Linked To Broader Development Efforts
Nkhwane also linked the district’s response to wider development priorities, saying the challenges posed by the outbreak demonstrated the need for coordinated action.
He said investment opportunities arising from Botswana’s recent China mission, together with the response to the FMD outbreak, highlighted the importance of partnerships and collective action.
Nkhwane said the two developments demonstrated “the importance of partnership, decisive action, and unity of purpose”.
The immediate focus, however, remains on strengthening livestock movement controls and supporting surveillance and vaccination efforts in Disease Control Zone 11.
