Govt moves to lift blanket zoning of FMD

BY REX MPHISA

GOVERNMENT has presented farmers in foot-and-mouth-prone zones an opportunity to trade their livestock and meat products nationally once they prove that they have disease-free livestock through a new individual biosecurity scheme involving strict husbandry of domestic animals.

The latest development could also unlock international markets, while at the same time, instilling a sense of self-to-collective discipline towards animal movement control that has seen the rampant spread of animal diseases.

Hundreds of both communal and commercial farmers in affected areas, whose trade had been curtailed by blanket zoning of areas deemed afflicted by diseases, stand to benefit.

Veterinary services national director Josphat Nyika on Saturday confirmed the adoption of an international concept called “disease-free compartments”, but hastened to say the exercise would not come cheap and would be made easier if market-driven.

Beneficiary farmers would require external support from targeted markets, he said, adding that the fundamental aspect would be to confine animals.

“The very first starting point is fencing. Farmers interested in this new development must confine their livestock. We are ready to inspect these fences and then we work with the farmers closely because this is serious business.

“Animal feed for the confined livestock must be clean. We are talking about biosecurity and strict control measures to be adhered to. Numerous tests are involved and even the slaughter area has to be passed and certified clean,” Nyika said.

“This means an abattoir might have to be within that confined area, where the animals are kept, otherwise any other abattoir used will have to be certified clean by required standards.

“That is why I say it has to be market-driven and once someone has a market, they can team up with their client to have all these requirements in place. It does not come cheap. I will stress that fences are the key point.”

Nyika said his department will be actively involved in the creation of disease-free compartments while advising farmers to liaise with veterinary doctors in their respective districts for details on the programme.

“It’s starting this year with farmers who have capacity. Modalities are still being crafted, so we need those interested so that as soon as everything is in place we can start working with them,” he said.

Zimbabwe in 2000 lost a multi-million dollar beef supply quota to the European Union following the chaotic land reform programme, but could move towards that market with a successful implementation of the new concept.

The concept requires strong farmers’ associations and individual discipline and a strong monitoring team from government.

Farmers with the capacity are those who can fund clinical tests of their livestock, whose movement they will restrict once proven clean, creating the disease-free compartment.

A large number of districts in Zimbabwe are classified as red zone areas, where foot-and-mouth disease has been reported and government’s ban in those areas has been re-enforced by Statutory Instrument (SI) 250/2018.

Areas prescribed to be red zones through that SI are Mupfure in Shamva, Rushinga, Chao Resettlement in Mazowe, Matepatepa, Mt Darwin (excluding Chiswiti and Mukumbura), Centenary (excluding Mukumbura), Uzumba, Maramba, Pfungwe and Mudzi.