adminMartin Kadzere
Zimbabwe has embarked on a phased foot and mouth control programme to curb the spread of the highly contagious disease, according to a Government document. Livestock farmers living near wildlife parks are at risk of foot and mouth, which saw the country losing its quota to export 900 tonnes of beef to the European Union in 2001.
Foot and mouth is a highly contagious and often fatal disease that affects domestic livestock such as cattle, pigs, goats and sheep and can be transmitted from wild buffalo. The document from the Finance and Economic Development Ministry, says about $8 million would be spent on fencing programme along Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe which is second largest wildlife park and some north eastern areas.
The $8 million is part of $32 million that the Government has earmarked for the programme, which will also cover wildlife parks in Hwange, Kariba, Gokwe, Mbire and Mudzi.
“Our quest to increase the national livestock herd, quality of beef, growth of leather value chain, including prospects for exports remain under threat from trans-boundary diseases, such as foot and mouth and animal trypanosomiasis,” reads part of the document.
“In this regard, the Government has embarked on a phased Foot and Mouth Control Fence Programme to minimise cross border infection, targeting 1 595 kilometres of fence along the Gonarezhou, Hwange, Gokwe, Kariba, Mbire and Mudzi.”
Last year, Zimbabwe’s veterinary service department placed two districts under quarantine and stopped movement of cattle after food and mouth was detected in Rutenga in Masvingo Province and the Midlands areas of Kwekwe and Redcliff.
In 2001, Zimbabwe lost a lucrative EU beef export quota following the outbreak of the foot and mouth. The country used to earn $45 million in foreign earnings from beef exports annually.
Imports ban
A few weeks ago, Zimbabwe said it would restrict the importation of livestock products from South Africa following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Limpopo. This comes as Botswana, Eswatini (formally Swaziland) and Namibia have also taken similar moves. Zimbabwe said import applications would be considered case by case depending on risk, in line with the country’s Animal Health Act, according to media reports.
More interventions
Zimbabwe this year allocated $2,4 million for rehabilitation of 50 dip tanks across the country. With rising population levels of tsetse flies due to favourable weather conditions in previously declared areas such as Mola and Gokwe North, the Government will spend $2 million to enhance surveillance and spraying of affected areas.
Bongani Ndlovu