Namibia is in need of 1.5 billion Namibian dollars to safeguard its livestock sector, valued at around 15 billion Namibian dollars, due to the increased risks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the region. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, highlighted the urgency for additional funding during a session in the National Assembly. The country has already allocated 57.5 million Namibian dollars to enhance prevention and preparedness measures against FMD.
With a recent FMD outbreak just 400 km away from Namibia’s border, the country faces a heightened risk, prompting the need to protect its FMD-free status. Namibia’s FMD-free status, recognized internationally by the World Organisation for Animal Health, is crucial for sustaining beef exports and ensuring access to premium global markets. To mitigate the risks, Namibia has implemented various preventive measures, including strict controls on imports of cloven-hoofed animals from affected areas and intensifying surveillance at border posts.
Namibia’s strategic plan involves increasing border patrols, establishing disease control zones, and creating a national FMD vaccine storage facility for swift response in case of an outbreak. The proposed investment of 1.5 billion Namibian dollars aims to bolster border security, enhance disease control measures, and upgrade meat-processing facilities to maintain trade flows even during outbreaks. Namibia exports beef to various international markets, with the European Union being a major destination, along with South Africa, Britain, and Norway.
