There is no new outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Ngamiland, Kareng and Gumare areas as recently reported by the state media.
“The truth is that there have been no outbreaks anywhere in Ngamiland as we talk,” said Letlhogile Modise, the Director of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said what is currently happening in the area is that, on spotting animals that have signs of the disease, farmers report to their officers who would then rush to the place where suspected animals have been sited and collect samples for testing.
He added that on spotting animals with signs of FMD, their officers, who conduct surveillance of the disease, collect samples for testing but that none of those tests have so far tested positive.
Asked where then the reports about the disease in the district originated from, he said, “We do not know, ask them.”
Ngamiland has continuously been having outbreaks of foot and mouth over the past several years. This has led to the farmers going for years without selling their cattle to the abattoir.
The recent drought also killed thousands of animals in the area.
Farmers in the district resolved to send a delegation to President Ian Khama to tell him about their plight in the district and ask that they be bailed out from the debts they owe banks.
