The Ministry of Agriculture has issued a direct order to farmers and the public to stop the illegal smuggling of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines and the informal movement of cattle across borders. These actions currently pose the greatest threat to Namibia’s multibillion-dollar meat export industry.

“We do not need to have vaccine of FMD smuggled in the free zone,” said Kingsley Kwenani, Deputy Executive Director of the Department of Agricultural Development within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform during a multi-sectoral meeting at NIPAM on 13 February. 

He outlined specific prohibited activities that could trigger an immediate shutdown of Namibia's international meat trade.

The "No-Go" List for Namibians

To prevent an economic collapse, the Ministry briefed stakeholders on the following directives:

• No Illegal Vaccines: Farmers are strictly prohibited from smuggling FMD vaccines into the free zone. Namibia’s "FMD-free" status depends on being a non-vaccination zone. Using unauthorized vaccines can lead to an immediate ban on Namibian beef in global markets.
• No Unofficial Border Crossings: Citizens must stop the practice of exchanging goods for cattle across international borders, specifically mentioning informal trade with Zambia. Animals entering the country without veterinary clearance are primary carriers of the virus.
• No Hiding Livestock: Farmers must not hide animals from veterinary officials during inspections. Cooperation is required to ensure surveillance remains accurate and the "free zone" status is verified by international regulators.
• No Social Media Misinformation: The Ministry warned against spreading unverified claims on social media that encourage farmers to bypass official biosecurity protocols.

What is at Stake?

The livestock sector's contribution to the national GDP is tied to its "FMD-free" status, held since 1997. Kwenani stated that the impact of a single infection would be "immediate." If a case is detected at a border post like Ariamsvlei, the entire zone - from the south up to the Mururani gate - would be closed to international markets instantly.

"If [the Chief Veterinary Officer] puts that case on the website, whether you have containers on the way or not, those containers will never enter the market. It is closed completely," Kwenani explained.

Government Response

The Cabinet has approved N$57.5 million to manage the current risk. This funding is being used to:

• Deploy additional veterinary personnel to high-risk areas.
• Increase border patrols and infrastructure upgrades.
• Establish a National FMD Vaccine Bank.
• Strengthen import controls following recent outbreaks in South Africa and Botswana’s Zone 6B.

The Ministry emphasized that security forces have been instructed to deny "entry visas" to the virus by strictly enforcing border controls, while farmers' unions are tasked with ensuring their members understand the technical risks of FMD.