Gaborone — Even though government is doing all it could to assist farmers in the Ngamiland to fight livestock-related diseases, farmers in the area on the other hand seem to be too slow in meeting government's efforts halfway.
Speaking in a media briefing to update the nation on developments in the Ministry of Agriculture, Minister Fidelis Molao cited senkobo, a tick-borne cattle disease currently on the outbreak in the Ngamiland, saying that it could be better contained with more effort from the farmers.
"The disease first out broke in the Chobe area, but there is not much outcry in that area compared to Ngamiland.
Cattle in the Chobe interact with buffaloes more often than those in the Ngamiland, but we do not often see a lot of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks in the Chobe.
This is because farmers in that area are more compliant compared to those in Ngamiland," he said.
Molao said government also undertakes free dipping twice a year in the two areas, but said compliance in Chobe was always at about 98% while in Ngamiland, only about 60% of the cattle are brought for free dipping.
"This therefore is a call to farmers in the Ngamiland area to be more compliant and enkraal their livestock and bring them for free dipping and other requirements," he said.
Mr Molao said government has subsidized feeds and vaccines at 50% rate, which he said was only applicable in the Ngamiland area looking at their peculiar situation.
He also said the recent donation of 40 bulls in the area, which was a first in such a large number, was an indication of government's commitment to assisting the area to sustain its cattle herd.
He also said in an effort to fight the tick commonly known as beMobile, which causes senkobo, government plans to introduce the use of top dip, commonly known as tipi-ya-mokwatla to Ngamiland because of its long residue.
On other issues, Mr Molao said the government took out almost all cattle in the FMD affected 6B area in the North East, safe for a few astray cattle, which were still being hunted.
He said after that, testing for any traces of the disease will be done before approvals for restocking could be done.
"We are hopeful that all this would be done before the end of this month," he added.
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On the recent buffalo incursion in the Nata area, Mr Molao indicated that all the buffaloes were translocated to the Chobe National Park after consultation with neighboring Zimbabwe, where they came from.
He, however, said cautious surveillance was still ongoing in the area, and that samples have been taken at abattoirs and slaughters facilities, but nothing has been detected so far. He said the area was, however, still closed.
Mr Molao explained that the recent shortage of ear tags was due to procurement challenges, but said the issue will be finalized soon and ear tags will soon be sent to Livestock Advisory Centres for distribution.
He urged farmers to make it a habit to ear tag their livestock at six months as the law requires, rather than the current practice where they only ear tag animals when they want to sell.
Mr Molao also took the opportunity to give an update on the achievements of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi's tour of Australia and The Bahamas.
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