Botswana intensifies FMD controls as outbreaks threaten livestock trade

BOTSWANA is intensifying efforts to contain foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), with the outbreaks raising concerns for cross-border animal health and livestock trade in the region, including Namibia, which shares a border with Botswana and remains free of FMD.

Botswana’s Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, outlined the measures in the Botswana Parliament, saying the disease had placed significant pressure on rural livelihoods, the livestock industry and the wider economy.

FMD is a highly contagious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals and is endemic to much of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Dikoloti said outbreaks had been recorded in at least seven SADC countries over the past decade, including Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

He said Botswana had historically managed to control the disease and had secured World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recognition for zones free from FMD without vaccination.

“Despite these immense challenges, Botswana has remained one of the few countries in the region that has been able to control the disease and eventually achieve the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) status of a country with zones that are free from FMD without vaccination,” Dikoloti said.

He attributed Botswana’s previous success to sustained investment in human resources, infrastructure and disease-control measures, which helped the country maintain access to lucrative export markets.

Historically, FMD has been concentrated in northern Botswana, particularly the Ngamiland region, where contact between cattle and African buffalo populations in the Chobe National Park has contributed to outbreaks.

Sporadic outbreaks have also occurred in Zones 3, 6 and 7 along the Zimbabwean border, which Dikoloti attributed largely to illegal cross-border movement of livestock and people.

He said outbreaks in South Africa since 2023 had increased the risk of the disease entering southern Botswana, particularly from Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape provinces, which share a border of about 2 000 kilometres with Botswana.

To reduce this risk, the government constructed a 187-kilometre cordon fence from Tlhareseleele village to Banyana farms. However, repeated breaches and damage to the fence continued to pose a threat.

During 2026, Botswana recorded four FMD SAT1 outbreaks in Zone 6b in the North East, Zone 3c-Maitengwe in the North East, Zone 11 covering Goodhope, Borolong, Southern and Gamalete, and Zone 13 in Kgalagadi.

Dikoloti said emergency mass vaccination had successfully suppressed the outbreaks in Zones 3c-Maitengwe and 6b.

Both outbreaks have since been formally closed with WOAH, although vaccination will continue in the affected areas to maintain herd immunity and protect against further cross-border introductions of the virus.

The government is also preparing a dossier for WOAH to seek official “FMD Free-With-Vaccination” status for the affected zones, which Dikoloti said would be an important step towards reopening international markets for livestock and animal products.

However, active transmission remains in parts of Zones 11 and 13, particularly around Phitshane-Molopo and Tshidilamolomo in Zone 11 and some ranches in the Banyana farms area in Zone 13.

Dikoloti said the affected areas were responding positively to targeted vaccination campaigns.

“Government remains seized with the situation and continues to intensify surveillance, vaccination and other disease-control interventions in the affected areas,” he said.

The government is also establishing a Containment Zone aimed at isolating affected areas while protecting the disease-free status of the rest of the country.

The zone will include a southern boundary along the Botswana-South Africa border from Sakutswane Lands near Ramotswa and Otse to Verda, as well as a northern boundary extending from Sakutswane Lands through Mogobane and Ranaka, the Kanye and Mmathethe passes, Tsoaneng and Sekutlhane to Masampa-Verda.

Dikoloti said the approximately 400-kilometre northern boundary would combine existing barriers with newly constructed fencing and was expected to be completed by the end of August.

Once the boundary fence is completed and the Director of Veterinary Services confirms separation of the livestock populations, Botswana will formally approach WOAH for international recognition of the Containment Zone.

“If approved, this will immediately unlock trade for all disease-free zones outside the contained area, unleashing Botswana beef back into the global market,” Dikoloti said.

The government has also introduced controlled livestock movement measures to support local value chains while maintaining disease-control standards.

Livestock from non-outbreak areas can now be processed at designated abattoirs within Zone 11, while livestock from BAITS-registered units may undergo controlled slaughter at approved establishments within the Containment Zone.