Treasury avails funds to combat foot, mouth
GOVERNMENT has stepped up efforts to combat foot and mouth disease after Treasury availed funds for the demarcation of game reserves from farming areas, in an effort to reduce wildlife migration and interaction with livestock.
Speaking at the just-ended Midlands Agricultural Show, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri said Zimbabwean beef was on demand in Europe and there was need for Government to enhance efforts to arrest foot and mouth.
Minister Shiri said Treasury availed funds to erect fences separating game reserves from farming areas.
He said game reserves and wild animals have been a major source of foot and mouth and other animal diseases.
“Our beef is on demand (in Europe) and we are ensuring that we increase livestock production. I am happy to announce that Treasury availed money to fence game reserves and farming areas so that our livestock and wild animals do not interact. Wild animals are major sources of foot and mouth.
“We need to arrest the foot and mouth disease in the country and improve our meat quality,” he said.
Minister Shiri said the country should also protect dairy farms and increase milk production in the country.
He said Zimbabwe was importing 50 percent of its dairy requirements.
“All the products are from livestock. We should stop importing processed beef, processed chicken and milk. This is an area where we need to be self-sufficient and we need to do that quickly,” he said.
Midlands provincial crop and livestock officer, Mrs Madeline Magwenzi said there were fresh cases of foot and mouth in Gweru after farmers illegally transported livestock from quarantined areas.
Mrs Magwenzi said in other districts the disease was under control.
“We do have fresh cases of foot and mouth in Gweru.
We have managed to contain it in other districts but the animals that were brought to Gweru were moved from quarantined areas outside the province,” she said.