Botswana beef trade faces FMD shock

Botswana’s beef industry is under mounting pressure as foot-and-mouth disease disrupts exports, closes key slaughter facilities and threatens rural incomes in a country where cattle remain central to household wealth, food security and national trade.

Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti has warned that the outbreak is placing significant strain on the economy and livelihoods, with the most immediate commercial blow coming from lost access to parts of the European Union market. The disruption has affected Botswana’s ability to ship beef under preferential trade arrangements, raising concern across farming communities, processors and export agencies.

The outbreak has exposed weaknesses in disease surveillance and border control systems at a sensitive time for the livestock sector. Botswana’s beef exports depend heavily on strict animal-health compliance, with export eligibility tied to disease-control zones. Any confirmed infection can trigger restrictions, even when the disease is contained within a defined area.

The European market has long been among the highest-value destinations for Botswana beef. Suspension of authorisation from affected zones has hit a sector that had been targeting about P2 billion in EU-linked revenue this year. The impact is being felt by farmers awaiting sales, abattoir workers, transporters and small businesses linked to the cattle value chain.

Authorities have traced part of the southern outbreak to an incursion of affected livestock across the border. The disease was identified at the Ramatlabama Artificial Insemination Centre, where 64 bulls were involved and two showed clinical signs consistent with foot-and-mouth disease. Goodhope District has become a focal point of containment efforts, while earlier confirmed cases in Zone 3c included Moroka, Kgari, Nlapkhwane and Mulambakwena crushes.

Movement controls have been tightened across affected zones, covering live cloven-hoofed animals and related products. Surveillance earlier confirmed infection in Zones 3c and 6b, while vaccination campaigns covered more than 15,000 cattle out of an expected 17,000 in targeted areas. Booster vaccination, quarantine enforcement and patrols remain central to the response.

The economic fallout has extended beyond farms. Slaughter operations at the Lobatse Botswana Meat Commission plant and the Gaborone Multi-Species Abattoir have been suspended, affecting facilities that serve export and domestic supply chains. The Maun plant has continued to process cattle, helping cushion some farmers, while authorities review the potential role of the Francistown abattoir in easing pressure on the system.

Botswana Meat Commission has processed more than 12,000 cattle this year, with over 95 per cent originally destined for the EU, and paid farmers more than P156 million. At Maun, about 900 cattle have been processed, generating P6.5 million in payments to producers. These figures underline both the scale of the disruption and the limited options available when export-linked plants face disease-control restrictions.

The government is now pursuing a dual approach: intensified containment at home and market diversification abroad. Beef samples have been sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Angola as officials seek alternative outlets in Africa. Botswana Meat Commission is also looking towards the Gulf, wider African markets and Asia to reduce dependence on traditional European channels.

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious among cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals. It is not regarded as a food-safety threat to humans, but it can sharply reduce productivity, trigger trade bans and cause heavy losses for farmers. Its significance lies less in mortality than in its ability to halt livestock movement, close export routes and damage confidence in veterinary controls.

Regional conditions add to Botswana’s challenge. Southern Africa has faced a broader wave of livestock disease pressure, including major outbreaks in neighbouring countries. Cross-border movement of animals, porous rural routes and uneven enforcement can undermine national containment efforts even when veterinary systems respond quickly.

Dr Dikoloti has described the situation as unusual and deeply worrying, calling for a clear recovery plan to regain disease-free status and reopen premium markets. He has also urged wider community involvement, including faith-based organisations, traditional leaders and private-sector actors, arguing that government agencies cannot manage the crisis alone.