Fire destroys quarantine camps
Heavy blow for communal farmers
A veld fire has swept through the Okongo quarantine station in the Ohangwena Region, burning hundreds of hectares.
The fire started on Monday and emergency services and community members are still battling to control the blazing inferno, which has already destroyed six of the eleven camps at the quarantine station. Changing winds and a lack of suitable fire-fighting equipment hamper efforts to put down the fire.
The fire has severely affected the Northern Communal Area (NCA) farmers who intend to sell their livestock to local markets.
The station, which covers over 20 000 hectares, belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture, and is being used by NCA farmers for quarantine purposes.
The chief veterinarian for the north-west division, Dr Kennedy Shoombe, said the fire affects livestock from the Kavango East and West regions, Ohangwena as well as Oshikoto.
There are only two quarantine stations in the North. The other one is at Omutambo-Omawe in the Omusati Region and caters for Omusati, Oshana, and Kunene livestock.
“Police are still investigating the cause of fire. There were no livestock in the camp at the moment, but there were plans to use it very soon,” said Shoombe.
“This station means a lot to us and now that it has been destroyed, farmers within this cluster are going to find it difficult to sell meat or their livestock to the national market. Omutambo-Omawe will not be able to accommodate all livestock in the NCA,” Shoombe said.
He added that the destroyed quarantine camps will make it difficult to determine that cattle are free of foot-and-mouth disease and hence the farmers will suffer.
ILENI NANDJATO
The fire started on Monday and emergency services and community members are still battling to control the blazing inferno, which has already destroyed six of the eleven camps at the quarantine station. Changing winds and a lack of suitable fire-fighting equipment hamper efforts to put down the fire.
The fire has severely affected the Northern Communal Area (NCA) farmers who intend to sell their livestock to local markets.
The station, which covers over 20 000 hectares, belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture, and is being used by NCA farmers for quarantine purposes.
The chief veterinarian for the north-west division, Dr Kennedy Shoombe, said the fire affects livestock from the Kavango East and West regions, Ohangwena as well as Oshikoto.
There are only two quarantine stations in the North. The other one is at Omutambo-Omawe in the Omusati Region and caters for Omusati, Oshana, and Kunene livestock.
“Police are still investigating the cause of fire. There were no livestock in the camp at the moment, but there were plans to use it very soon,” said Shoombe.
“This station means a lot to us and now that it has been destroyed, farmers within this cluster are going to find it difficult to sell meat or their livestock to the national market. Omutambo-Omawe will not be able to accommodate all livestock in the NCA,” Shoombe said.
He added that the destroyed quarantine camps will make it difficult to determine that cattle are free of foot-and-mouth disease and hence the farmers will suffer.
ILENI NANDJATO
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