Gov't allocates P97m as FMD fightback begins
Mbongeni Mguni | Wednesday February 4, 2026 09:14
The funds will go towards the deployment of 10,000 vaccines, the vaccination campaign, and other interventions aimed at containing the disease and quickly recovering from the outbreak. FMD’s incursion in the area came after Zimbabwean authorities alerted of their own outbreak in a province neighbouring Botswana, with farmers blaming the deterioration of the border fence and illegal immigration for the latest challenges.
Acting director of Veterinary Services, Kobedi Segale, told a kgotla meeting in Jackalas No.1 over the weekend that testing undertaken after suspected cases were seen last week, had confirmed that the virus was present in numerous cattle in the area.
Widescale vaccination is set to begin today (Tuesday).
“I’m sorry to inform you that the disease has arrived,” he said. “There was a press release on suspected cases last week, and now we are not suspecting. “The tests are out, and we have confirmed FMD in Jackalas 1. “When we say we have found it, it does not mean this is the only place where the disease is; it’s just where we have seen it.”
Segale said the number of confirmed cases picked was at a level never before seen in the area, raising concern that the disease has been present for some time.
“The painful thing is that this disease looks like it’s been here for a while in Jackalas 1, and we have been living with it; either we were not seeing it or seeing it and not reporting. “Even when we were celebrating Christmas, this disease was already here. “There is a possibility that the disease has spread even further, and investigations are underway to find out its extent,” he said.
Last week, farmers told The Monitor that the outbreak would be contained, since more vigilant detection and the national defences were put up in the weeks since neighbouring Zimbabwe alerted on their outbreak.
Government culled 48 cattle in January as a response to the disease.
Lands and Agriculture minister, Edwin Dikoloti, said government was mounting a considerable fightback against the disease, in partnership with farmers' associations, animal health experts, border patrol, and community members.
He pleaded with farmers to deliver their cattle for vaccination in order to curb the spread of the disease.
“Please ensure that you are vigilant about getting your cattle vaccinated and even report those who are not taking their cattle forward for vaccination through the platforms that have been provided. “We have to retain the trust of the markets that we sell to, and they have trusted us for a long time that we are capable of taking care of our livestock,” he said.
The North-East region has experienced frequent FMD outbreaks, with the last one occurring in August 2022. Dikoloti revealed that government spent P180 million restocking the area, supplying 10,000 cattle to the region.
Botswana National Beef Producers Union officials said the last cow delivered under the restocking exercise was handed over in August last year.
Farmers at the kgotla meeting appealed to government to repair the border fence with Zimbabwe to prevent future outbreaks. They also asked government to fast-track the allocation of land in the Tati Company farms area, which they said they would prefer to use for cattle farming, away from the border line.
Government last week imposed livestock movement restrictions and suspended exports, a blow to farmers and consumers alike.