Government says it needs N$190.2 million to contain the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg Veterinary District, with a major portion of the funding earmarked for new disease-control infrastructure.
Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Minister Inge Zaamwani said the ministry has identified N$190,185,580.87 for critical containment measures as authorities intensify efforts to prevent the disease from spreading beyond the affected area. Of the required funding, approximately N$47 million has been set aside for the construction of about 290 kilometres of new fencing. The proposed fence will stretch from Ariamsvlei through Karasburg to Ai-Ais, creating an additional physical barrier around the containment zone. According to the Ministry, the infrastructure is intended to strengthen the separation between the affected area and surrounding regions while supporting the enforcement of livestock movement restrictions.
The funding requirement comes as Government expands its response to the FMD outbreak, which was first detected on 22 September in the Graswater area of the Karasburg Veterinary District. The Directorate of Veterinary Services has intensified surveillance, livestock tracing, laboratory testing, farm inspections and movement controls in an effort to establish the extent of the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
Minister Zaamwani said the scale of the response requires additional financial, logistical and institutional investment.
The Government’s containment strategy also includes vaccination of eligible livestock within the designated containment zone, targeted culling, intensified surveillance and strict movement controls. The proposed vaccination programme is expected to move from the periphery of the containment zone towards the epicentre.
The outbreak has already had implications for Namibia’s livestock trade, following the detection of FMD within the country’s recognised FMD-free zone without vaccination. Government is engaging trading partners regarding the status of consignments that were already in transit, recently arrived or were in storage before the outbreak was officially announced.
Meanwhile, farmers, livestock owners, transporters and other stakeholders have been urged to comply with quarantine and movement restrictions and cooperate with veterinary authorities.
The Ministry says the additional resources are critical to strengthening disease control and protecting Namibia’s livestock sector from further spread of FMD.
By Rudi Bowe
