Beef sector faces quandary over FMD outbreak in South
Pauline Dikuelo | Wednesday April 29, 2026 06:00
The disease, which was detected last month, has disrupted the country’s access to lucrative European Union (EU) markets, which it had long enjoyed under the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This quota-free and duty-free arrangement has been a cornerstone of Botswana’s beef export industry, making the current situation particularly severe. Speaking on Thursday during the Foot and Mouth Pitso, Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti revealed that the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) is now holding beef stock valued at no less than P202 million, which can no longer be exported to premium international markets due to the outbreak.
The financial implications extend beyond unsold stock, with the country also facing production losses, increased disease control costs, and broader socioeconomic challenges, he added. “In addition to the loss of access to premium markets, we are dealing with significant production declines and the high cost of controlling the disease, all while balancing other national priorities,” Dikoloti said. In a bid to strengthen the national response, government has established National FMD Command Centre, also referred to as the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), under the leadership of the Office of the President. The centre is tasked with ensuring high-level coordination of all FMD control activities. At a local level, district FMD command centres have also been set up in areas bordering South Africa and Zimbabwe to enhance rapid response and monitoring. Dikoloti said unlike in the past, when government solely funded disease prevention and control efforts, current financial constraints have necessitated a shift in approach. Authorities are now promoting community-led and private sector-supported disease prevention programmes, which are seen as more cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.
To further address the crisis, government is intensifying collaboration with the private sector and international partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). These partnerships aim to strengthen disease surveillance, improve vaccine supply systems, and enhance biosecurity measures, particularly among smallholder farmers who dominate Botswana’s agricultural landscape. Dikoloti highlighted the importance of leveraging global initiatives such as FAO’s Global Partnership Programme on Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD), which is expected to improve regional coordination in managing diseases like FMD.
Efforts to restore Botswana’s FMD-free status are already underway. The country is required to submit a comprehensive dossier to WOAH within 24 months of the outbreak, demonstrating successful eradication and preventive measures. Deadlines have been set for January 2028 for zones 6b/3c and March 2028 for Zone 11. Disease surveillance and epidemiological investigations are ongoing in Zone 11 to determine the extent of the outbreak. Authorities have indicated that if the spread remains limited, a containment strategy will be implemented to quickly reinstate FMD-free status in unaffected areas. Meanwhile, outbreaks in zones 3c (Maitengwe) and 6b are being managed through vaccination programmes, including coordinated efforts within a 40-kilometre radius across the Zimbabwean border to maintain herd immunity. Zones 3b and 7 remain FMD-free, supported by strong community mobilisation and continued cross-border vaccination efforts. The government remains cautiously optimistic that with coordinated intervention, the outbreak can be contained and Botswana’s vital beef export markets restored.