Zone 3C farmers are demanding urgent clarification from the Minister of Lands and Agriculture over a decision to vaccinate livestock in an area with no detected Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Zone 3C farmers have called on the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Edwin Dikoloti to urgently clarify the rationale behind the decision to vaccinate livestock in the area, despite no Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak having been detected.
Farmers say the move has left them uncertain about the implications for their livestock status, market access and overall livelihoods.
“IN THE DARK”
Speaking in an interview with The Botswana Gazette, Zone 3C Farmers Committee chairman Tlhabologo Kalichi, who represents farmers around Maitengwe and surrounding areas, said the community is seeking urgent answers from government.
“We are demanding clarity about the consequences of vaccinating unaffected livestock. Once we get clarity, we will take a stand on the decision taken by government. For now we don’t have any position; we are just in the dark, and that is why we are demanding clarity from the minister,” said Kalichi.
He said a meeting scheduled for the 24th of this month is expected to provide answers, after which farmers hope to take a collective position on the way forward.
Kalichi further noted that since the FMD outbreak in Zone 3B earlier this year, farmers in Zone 3C have been left with several unanswered questions, saying their concerns have not been adequately addressed by the ministry.
POLITICAL CONCERNS OVER “ECONOMIC IMPACT”
The issue has also attracted political attention, with Area Member of Parliament Motlhaleemang Moalosi calling on the minister to suspend the vaccination exercise pending broader consultation with stakeholders.
In a letter to the minister, Moalosi described the vaccination programme as “technically flawed, scientifically inconsistent and carrying a sentence of economic doom” for affected farmers.
He warned that Zone 3C is currently classified as a green zone, and said any vaccination exercise could result in an automatic downgrade to a red zone status.
“This classification will instantly collapse livestock value and strip farmers of their livelihoods,” Moalosi stated.
CALLS FOR PREVENTIVE MEASURES OVER VACCINATION
Moalosi argued that government should prioritise preventive interventions rather than what he termed reactive measures, urging authorities to strengthen border biosecurity instead.
“The government should immediately repair cordon fences, increase patrol resources to maintain the integrity of the current green status and strengthen biosecurity measures along the entire transboundary border,” he said.
AWAITING MINISTERIAL RESPONSE
As pressure mounts from both farmers and political leaders, attention now turns to the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture for a response, with stakeholders warning that the decision could have far-reaching implications for livestock trade and rural livelihoods in Zone 3C.