Farmers welcome revised movement protocols
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday April 10, 2023 06:00
This follows a seven-month restriction of movement of cloven-hoofed animals in Zone 6b following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the region.
Last year August, there was an outbreak of FMD in Zone 6b Bisoli north namely, Jackalas 1, Ramokgwebana, Tsamaya, Tshesebe, Butale, Senyawe, Siviya and Mabudazane.
Additionally, after the outbreak, the government took a decision to depopulate the red area. The government plans to slaughter about 10,000 cattle during the ongoing depopulation process, which started early March at the Maun BMC.
This week on Wednesday, the Ministry of Agriculture released a statement on the revised animal and animal product movement protocol for Zone 6b Bisoli South (Sikukwe, Matshelagabedi, Matsiloje, Matopi villages only).
Some of the changes listed in the same document indicate that the movement of the live cloven-hoofed (including cattle, sheep and goats) within Zone 6b Bisoli South is allowed without a veterinary movement. Furthermore, the movement of live cloven-hoofed animals out of Zone 6b Bisoli South is allowed with a veterinary permit.
Movement of live cloven-hoofed animals out of the zone is allowed with a permit only for slaughter to an abattoir or slaughter slab. Other changes are that movement of the cloven-hoofed animals out of zone 6b for other purposes is not allowed and slaughter of the same animals within the same zone is allowed. When reached for a comment on the revised movement protocols on cloven-hoofed animals, the Matsiloje Farmers Association chairperson Elias Majama said it has been a blow on the farmers as they have suffered economically since the movement restriction.
Majama elaborated that most of the farmers in their village are retired and use pastoral farming as their only source of income. “We rear livestock so that we can sell for profit and survival.
During the restriction we didn’t sell anything as most of the customers are butcheries in Francistown and other towns. In the process we failed to sustain the livelihoods of our families as they solely depend on us,” he said.
He was relieved that the renewed restriction will enable them to sell their cattle and be able to meet some of their key financial obligations. The association chairperson stated that the restriction has left many farmers broke or in debts as many failed to pay their workers as well as servicing their loans. “We have been going through a hard time but we are hopeful that we will be able to get back to our feet in no time,” he added.