Farmers, public urged to help protect FMD-free status

The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN) ’s contribution to the control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) includes the provision of personnel at all border posts between Namibia and South Africa for the disinfection of vehicles and the operation of footbaths.

The LLPBN also supplies disinfection equipment and sufficient informational material. In addition, awareness campaigns have been launched in collaboration with the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) and the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), featuring visual guidelines on notifiable diseases in Namibia.

This includes protocols for suspected cases. Information cards containing the emergency contact numbers of all state veterinarians south of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF) have been printed and distributed.

Funds have also been allocated for the construction of drive-through baths to disinfect vehicles and trucks at the Ariamsvlei and Noordoewer border posts. Additional funding has been made available for a mobile FMD emergency stock storage facility in Windhoek. The emergency store is housed in a container designed for rapid deployment and can be moved immediately to a suspected outbreak site upon request from the DVS.

The initiative forms part of the country’s proactive approach to safeguarding the livestock sector against the severe economic and trade impact of an FMD outbreak.

Namibia’s FMD-free status underpins access to premium international meat markets, supports thousands of farmers and workers, and helps maintain trade credibility.

What should farmers do?

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Although it does not affect humans, it can spread rapidly between animals and cause severe economic losses. Farmers are urged not to move animals without a valid permit, to report sick animals immediately to the nearest veterinarian, and to comply fully with veterinary regulations.

In the meantime, the LLPBN is facilitating discussions between the industry and the DVS on risk management and additional measures for trucks transporting livestock. Other long-term actions to prevent FMD include the inspection of older fences that may require maintenance, as well as the ongoing repair and upgrading of existing veterinary fences.