MoA reserves P100m for FMD
FRANCISTOWN: With a budget running into P100 million at its disposal, the Ministry of Agriculture will be rolling its sleeves following the Foot and Mouth Disease detection in Zone 6(b) in North East District (NED). The Agric ministry revealed its intention to fight the current bout of the infectious cloven-hoofed animal disease during Thursday’s press conference held at Thapama Hotel.
The Foot and Mouth (FMD) outbreak was discovered following clinical tests conducted in cattle at Zone 6(b) on August 22 after an observant farmer at Butale village in Tsamaya extension area noticed suspicious signs in his cattle that were inevitably positive.
As of Thursday, FMD was only detected in the villages north of Bisoli ranch namely Jackalas 1, Ramokgwebana, Tsamaya, Tshesebe, Butale, Senyawe, Siviya and Mabuzane. Other villages within the zone include Matsiloje and Matshelagabedi extension areas. Addressing the media, the MoA Assistant Minister, Molebatsi Molebatsi said the government has set aside P100 million to control the spread of FMD in the zone. Molebatsi said the money used to control FMD – a severe, highly contagious viral disease in livestock (cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants) – is substantial.
As such, Molebatsi appealed to farmers in Zone 6(b) and the nation at large to play their part in helping the MoA to control the disease because of the significant economic impact the livestock industry contributes to the economy and livelihoods.
“The costs of controlling FMD in Zone 6(b) are very high and worrying. They are not sustainable. Therefore, there is a need for everyone to play their part to make sure that FMD does not spread to other areas. We need to come up with long-term strategies to contain outbreaks of FMD,” said a worried Molebatsi.
He was expressing the sentiments of the Acting Director of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr Kefentse Motshegwa.
Motshegwa said while the MoA has put in place an effective FMD control system, which is based on the division of the country into risk zones and appropriate disease surveillance, livestock identification, movement restriction and control in the different risk zones, the system will be of no use if the communities fold their arms and leave the control of the FMD to the MoA and other government entities.
Motshegwa, therefore, made a clarion call to the nation to report any incidents that may aid the spread of FMD in the country. Motshegwa expressed concern that incidents whereby some people steal fences meant to control the movement of animals between zones were some of the factors that fuel the spread of FMD in Botswana.
Citing an example, Motshegwa stated that thieves recently stole eight rolls of fence that were bought to replace a worn-out fence, which is used to control the movement of animals in Zone 6.
“We are pleading with members of the community to help us control the spread of FMD. We have engaged members of the Botswana Defence Force and the Botswana Police Service and other stakeholders to fight this outbreak.
The effective control of the FMD outbreak cannot be left to a few stakeholders but needs the cooperation of all of us. One of the most important things that can help us to control the FMD is to educate our communities about why it is important for various stakeholders to take part in controlling it. The FMD is a very complex issue, which needs the cooperation of all of us to conquer it,” Motshegwa
underscored.
Meanwhile, Motshegwa underlined that the MoA will facilitate that all people affected by FMD in the NED receive counselling services from relevant professionals.
“We are very much alive to the issue of some people developing some health complications like stress after their cattle were culled in the past.
We shall, like in the past, provide counselling services to all people who are affected by the current outbreak of FMD and not only livestock owners. We take the issue of providing counselling services to all people affected directly and indirectly by FMD very seriously. This is a priority that government is emphasising,” Motshegwa told