FMD outbreak exposes Govt's lapses
A lapse by the government in failing to protect the country’s critical Zone 11 when Foot and Mouth was spiralling out of control in the region could have a devastating impact on the country’s economy and the beef sector.
Last week, the government, through the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, announced a confirmed case of Foot and Mouth at the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory and Training Centre in the Goodhope District (Zone 11). Suspicions have emerged that government, through the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, might not have been vigilant enough to protect the crucial area, given the outbreak in the North West Province of South Africa.
In 2023, more than 160 pedigree bulls and heifers, including Brahman and Angus breeds, were imported from the United States, with bulls now considered at higher risk following the detection of the disease within the artificial insemination camp.
Investigations by this publication following the announcement revealed that there have been areas of the two countries' borderlines that have been neglected, even though the North West has always been a high-risk area. It was uncovered that a section of the cordon fence has been vandalised.
This not only poses a threat to farmers but to the country’s beef export as Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) gets in the red, as it is mostly supplied by farmers in the area and those in the Kalahari Transfrontier corridor.
Sources have narrated that cattle can walk from the Ramatlabama area to BMC Lobatse in a day. The export of beef would have to stop and be closed for many years. This scenario would be a crippling and final blow to the beef export sector.
Said a source close to the development, “Once exports stop, then another country would pick up the European market, and it would be impossible to remove them later.'
In addition, the area is proximal to the most densely populated part of the country, which would affect the domestic meat market.
'Also, the sustainability of Botswana Vaccine Institute would be questionable; how do you order FMD Vaccine from a country (Botswana) within an FMD outbreak area?” questioned the source.
The ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr Mokganedi Mokopasetso, when updating the nation on the situation, revealed that while investigations are ongoing, they have established that the disease was not brought into the farm by any animal but by a person.
He said they were surprised by the discovery of FMD within the farm.
“We are surprised because the farm is secured. It is a bio-secure farm. Movement is highly monitored. There is no way that they could have mixed with others from outside. We suspect that it was transmitted by a person who came into the farm.
The farm has double fencing. The disease can be transmitted through hands, clothes and shoes. It came through with a person who was contaminated or came in contact with the disease,” Dr Mokopasetso said when updating the nation through the National Broadcaster.
Confidential information obtained by the Botswana Guardian Newspaper shows that around 2022, the threat of Foot and Mouth Disease spreading from the North West province was getting more pronounced.
A Task Team comprised of four Ministries was established, and they included Agriculture, Defence and Security, and Lands. The lead Ministry was the Ministry of Agriculture. Lands was there for the demarcation of the border between South Africa and Botswana, as it was not clear where the borderline was, and there were some possible disputes.
The Defence and Security was there to patrol the borders. According to the records, the strategy was threefold. Firstly, to clearly demarcate the border and and have an agreement with South Africa. Secondly, it was to construct a cordon fence behind the border line, and in between these two lines would be a patrol route.
Thirdly, the strategy was disease surveillance and monitoring.
“Everything went well as there was direct leadership on this project. The possibility of failure would be devastating to the beef industry. The prize bulls of the country are in that area. The entire artificial insemination infrastructure of the country is in that zone. The biggest beef farmers have stored their semen straws at Ramatlabama,” an impeccable source at the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture said.
Cattle barons have argued that any future investments into the beef, dairy, and small stock sector would be based in that area. The dairy cows ordered from South America would have to arrive in that area, as that is where infrastructure has been invested, a cattle baron based in the Gantsi region, who did not want to be named, said.
Observers have contended that a monumental failure by the government will be the final nail in the coffin of the meat and dairy sectors.
For years, Zone 11 has been said to have been an area undisturbed and clean, with the current administration accused of having neglected it, resulting in the current situation.
It is argued that with agriculture being a critical sector to the country’s economy, not having a substantive minister and an assistant has the potential of hurting the sector further, especially the beef industry.
This, according to insiders, was the strategy at the ministry: the Assistant Minister would focus on the beef sector, as the ministry has a huge portfolio.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that the entire zone has been closed, which means farmers would not be able to sell, as it has been the norm. He revealed that the economic impact will be very high.
“We are currently investigating. We have been worried that the zone could be affected, looking at the situation in South Africa. We are going to close for a possible long time.
We are hopeful that the disease is only within the farm, and then we will decide on the matter. Our teams are on the ground doing investigations in areas like Tlhareseleele, Ramatlabama, and Rakhuna”
He said if those areas are clear, they will open so that Batswana’s lives continue and the economy continues. He called for cooperation and reduction of movements, especially in contaminated areas in South Africa near Ramatlabama.
“The risk is still high. As a government, we are committed to containing and ending the FMD in the shortest possible time. It is not only Veterinary Services on the ground, but other departments are working with us. Also, the private sector and the farmers are assisting”.
Dr Kobedi Segale, Acting Director of the Department of Veterinary Services, revealed that medication has been produced for the 64 semen bulls, and they have been vaccinated.
He said the aim is to ensure that the disease does not spread. According to Dr Segale, just like in 6B, 3C zones, they will not kill the 64 bull at the farm. He explained that the intention is to also ensure that the other 211
animals at the Training Centre are not affected.
“We want to strictly ensure that they do not mix. Vaccination has been produced to reduce the spread because there is movement among the 64 animals and contamination of the environment where they are kept, and we want to ensure it doesn’t spread off the farm. Investigation's outcome will determine how we move forward,” Dr Segale added.