Major plans for NCA farmers
The agriculture ministry has developed a strategy and implementation plan to construct a veterinary cordon fence (VCF) on the Namibia-Angola border.
The implementation plan also aims establish a trans-boundary animal disease-free zone that includes Namibia and parts of Angola, among others.
This is in an effort to control movement of cattle between the two countries and contain the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb said in the National Assembly last week during the ministry's budget motivation speech.
He also submitted a technical paper in support of his motivation statement.
!Naruseb said his ministry will continue to implement the policies aimed at creating conditions which will allow farmers in the Northern Communal Area (NCA) to access local, regional and international markets for their animals and animal products. “The implementation of the World Organisation for Animal Health's (OIE) official control programme for FMD and lung sickness for the Northern Communal Areas for eventual eradication of FMD from the protection zone and lung sickness from the entire NCA will continue.”
He said this will involve the strengthening of veterinary services by bolstering staff capacity through recruitment of competent staff and skills development, development of surveillance and response guidelines, construction of veterinary infrastructure, procurement of equipment and vehicles, and community mobilisation.
“International collaboration in the management of trans-boundary animal diseases will also be strengthened. It will also entail the erection of a livestock fence between Namibia and Angola and the relocation of the livestock fence between Namibia and Angola as well as the relocation of livestock relying on grazing in Angola to grazing areas within Namibia,” said !Naruseb.
According to him the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) will continue in the NCA focussing on the tagging of cattle. He said system, which is the backbone of animal disease surveillance, has now been extended to cover the entire country.
This system enables government to keep accurate records of animal disease surveillance, animal movements and vaccinations.
Last year, 2 323 farms were inspected and 3 972 community visits were done. Mass vaccinations of animals against diseases such as FMD, lung sickness and rabies, were carried out during the year.
A total of 525 475 cattle were vaccinated against FMD in the infected and the protection zone with a coverage of 80.95%. Meanwhile, some 904 408 cattle were vaccinated in the NCA against lung sickness with a coverage of 74.49%.
In the 2017/18 financial year, 199 681 additional cattle were tagged in the NCA.
Livestock identification and traceability, import/export control, extension and regulatory inspections at community level, farms, livestock auctions and abattoirs were carried out.
According to !Naruseb routine active and passive surveillance activities such as farm inspections, community visits ante- and post-mortem inspections at abattoirs, supervision of livestock auctions, export certification and inspection of imported animals and animal products were carried out during the 2017/18 financial year with relatively favourable results.
The animal disease surveillance programme ensures that diseases, or conditions that may precipitate disease outbreaks, are mitigated and that systems are in place for early detection and early effective response.
!Naruseb said a total of 93 821 cattle, 250 407 sheep and 301 springbok were slaughtered under veterinary supervision.
Furthermore, 2 323 livestock were routinely inspected at farms. A further 361 429 cattle 168 417 and sheep were inspected at auctions. Another 336 716 sheep were also inspected before export, 227 239 cattle and 129 157 goats were inspected before export.
ELLANIE SMIT
The implementation plan also aims establish a trans-boundary animal disease-free zone that includes Namibia and parts of Angola, among others.
This is in an effort to control movement of cattle between the two countries and contain the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Agriculture minister Alpheus !Naruseb said in the National Assembly last week during the ministry's budget motivation speech.
He also submitted a technical paper in support of his motivation statement.
!Naruseb said his ministry will continue to implement the policies aimed at creating conditions which will allow farmers in the Northern Communal Area (NCA) to access local, regional and international markets for their animals and animal products. “The implementation of the World Organisation for Animal Health's (OIE) official control programme for FMD and lung sickness for the Northern Communal Areas for eventual eradication of FMD from the protection zone and lung sickness from the entire NCA will continue.”
He said this will involve the strengthening of veterinary services by bolstering staff capacity through recruitment of competent staff and skills development, development of surveillance and response guidelines, construction of veterinary infrastructure, procurement of equipment and vehicles, and community mobilisation.
“International collaboration in the management of trans-boundary animal diseases will also be strengthened. It will also entail the erection of a livestock fence between Namibia and Angola and the relocation of the livestock fence between Namibia and Angola as well as the relocation of livestock relying on grazing in Angola to grazing areas within Namibia,” said !Naruseb.
According to him the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) will continue in the NCA focussing on the tagging of cattle. He said system, which is the backbone of animal disease surveillance, has now been extended to cover the entire country.
This system enables government to keep accurate records of animal disease surveillance, animal movements and vaccinations.
Last year, 2 323 farms were inspected and 3 972 community visits were done. Mass vaccinations of animals against diseases such as FMD, lung sickness and rabies, were carried out during the year.
A total of 525 475 cattle were vaccinated against FMD in the infected and the protection zone with a coverage of 80.95%. Meanwhile, some 904 408 cattle were vaccinated in the NCA against lung sickness with a coverage of 74.49%.
In the 2017/18 financial year, 199 681 additional cattle were tagged in the NCA.
Livestock identification and traceability, import/export control, extension and regulatory inspections at community level, farms, livestock auctions and abattoirs were carried out.
According to !Naruseb routine active and passive surveillance activities such as farm inspections, community visits ante- and post-mortem inspections at abattoirs, supervision of livestock auctions, export certification and inspection of imported animals and animal products were carried out during the 2017/18 financial year with relatively favourable results.
The animal disease surveillance programme ensures that diseases, or conditions that may precipitate disease outbreaks, are mitigated and that systems are in place for early detection and early effective response.
!Naruseb said a total of 93 821 cattle, 250 407 sheep and 301 springbok were slaughtered under veterinary supervision.
Furthermore, 2 323 livestock were routinely inspected at farms. A further 361 429 cattle 168 417 and sheep were inspected at auctions. Another 336 716 sheep were also inspected before export, 227 239 cattle and 129 157 goats were inspected before export.
ELLANIE SMIT
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