State eyes revamping dip tanks
By BUUMBA CHIMBULU GOVERNMENT has embarked on a programme which will ensure that the over 247 dip tanks are rehabilited while completing those already underconstruction in a quest to control livestock diseases.
Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Michael Katambo said Government was working towards ensuring that all dip tanks countrywide were rehabilited with an aim of controlling diseases. “The construction of dip tanks, we are not going to embark on new constructions, we are going to embark on a programme to rehabilitate old ones and complete those that are at various stages of construction,
“We have over 247 in total countrywide where we need to rehabilitate and construct the dip tanks which are helping us with tick bone disease especially in hot seasons and cold. We are embarking on these programmes so that they do not turn into a white elephants,” he said.
Mr. Katambo said in an interview that Government would not embark on any new construction of dip tanks this year as they have not been budgeted for.
“We have gone in areas where we have constructed dip tanks and we find there is no water so there is need to include all these so that we complete the package of the tanks to facilitate for our farmers and to manage various types of livestock,” he said.
He said his ministry was working with cooperating partners such as the World Bank to ensure that illegal trade was curbed.
“The policy of the ministry is disease control of livestock. There has been an outbreak of various livestock diseases in Western province and other parts of the country,
“These illegal trade try to affect the control of disease and disease management but as a ministry we are managing while working with partners such as the World Bank and others,” he said.