Cabinet paper lists benefits of red line removal

ELLANIE SMIT WINDHOEKAs the legal battle regarding the removal of the red line continues, a document in which government investigated the implications of removing the fence completely years ago has been released.Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist Job Amupanda yesterday released pages of the document on social media after the High Court this week added the Meat Board to the defendants in the court case in which he is seeking to have the fence removed and declared illegal and unconstitutional.Amupanda filed a claim on 26 May in which he listed agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein, the government, attorney-general Festus Mbandeka and an official of the directorate of veterinary services, Hango Nambinga.The Meat Board was added as a fifth defendant after it asked leave to intervene in the matter.“I will release a government report that was at Cabinet which confirmed that there will be little - if any - problem removing the 1896 red line. What does it mean? It means government, through the agriculture ministry, has already employed consultants - whom they have paid millions - who conducted research providing that the removal of the red line has more positives than negatives,” Amupanda said.The report, titled ‘Consultancy to investigate the implications of a total removal of the Veterinary Cordon Fence [VCF]’ is dated 7 February 2014. Only pages eight and nine of the report were released and relate to overall observations on the pros and cons of removing the red line. OnenessAccording to the report, the removal of the VCF will create a livestock industry that is based on oneness and not the present situation where mostly “white farmers are allowed to access high price markets in Europe”.It said the removal of the fence would also allow livestock owners access to more lucrative domestic, regional and international markets.It could also create more jobs in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs).“One farmer who employs two to three people now may employ at least five in the long run if high-value markets are availed,” it said.The report further noted that contribution to the agriculture sector could increase to 20%.“Currently [at that stage], there are about 3 000 NCA farmers who sell seven to eight animals per year. This can increase two- or threefold if lucrative markets are availed to them.”For survivalIn his founding affidavit, Meat Board CEO Paul Strydom said it is absolutely imperative for the survival of the Namibian livestock industry that the VCF is kept in place and adequately maintained at all times. He said the meat industry in Namibia contributes approximately N$7.2 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and is a source of invaluable foreign currency and job creation.He further stressed that compliance with international disease regulations is vital for Namibia to export its livestock and livestock products to lucrative markets in Europe, China, the USA and South Africa, and any other potential markets.Strydom added that the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (OIE) disease regulations state that for Namibia to export livestock and livestock products to these markets, a zone within the country must be separated from Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) infected areas by a series of boundaries which conform to certain standards.If Amupanda succeeds in his quest to have the VCF removed, the damage to the Namibian livestock industry would be catastrophic in that all livestock product export markets would be lost, he said.Earlier this year, Schlettwein said a document had been compiled to address issues in the agriculture sector, adding that it focuses on how the red line can be dealt with to benefit farmers north and south of the fence.He said the document would be shared with stakeholders for their input to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Cabinet paper lists benefits of red line removal

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-17

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Cabinet paper lists benefits of red line removal

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-17

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