FMD crisis threatens cattle dowry tradition

Rasegotshane ward headman, Kgosi Thatayaone Makaba, has warned that prolonged Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) restrictions could trigger new social challenges, particularly for Bangwaketse families whose marriage customs depend on cattle dowry payments.With the FMD fight dragging on and new cases reported in Kgatleng’s Zone 11, Makaba said traditional leaders have been forced to adapt, allowing couples to marry despite restrictions on livestock movement.He explained that families are now encouraged to negotiate bogadi and sign written agreements confirming the cattle are available, with payment deferred until restrictions are lifted.Couples are also required to appear before police for an affidavit once the agreed cattle have been shown to the bride’s family, creating a record of the arrangement.“Re ntse re nyadisa ka maikano,” Makaba said, noting that the system was introduced on the belief that cattle would remain available until movement controls eased.However, the continued spread of FMD and large-scale culling have left leaders worried that some families may no longer have the livestock they promised. “We fear this will cause more problems, because Bangwaketse believe in paying dowry with cows, not money, and it has been a while since cattle dowry was stopped,” he said.The warning comes as Botswana’s cattle sector shows signs of strain. National herd numbers fell 6.1 per cent over the past decade, from 1.74 million in 2015 to 1.64 million in 2025. Births dropped 14.3 per cent to 373,807, while deaths rose 30.7 per cent to 143,076.Traditional farmers bore the brunt, with their cattle population declining 13.1 per cent to 1.18 million, while commercial ranches grew by 18.8 per cent to 455,739. The contrast is stark: commercialholdings averaged 312 cattle compared with just 33 in the traditional sector.Meanwhile, small stock numbers are rising, with goats up 5.5 per cent to 1.27 million and sheep up 33.3 per cent to 323,279. Letlhakeng recorded the country’s largest cattle population, while Kweneng led in goat and sheep production.For Makaba, the immediate concern remains cultural continuity. He has appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to ease restrictions where communities can show compliance with disease-control measures, and urged calm among livestock owners, saying the government may have a plan to address the difficulties.

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FMD crisis threatens cattle dowry tradition