FMD threatens meat exports
The continuing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg Veterinary District of the //Kharas Region poses a serious risk to livestock farming, rural livelihoods and Namibia’s export recovery, the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN) has warned.
The outbreak has created uncertainty among farmers, workers and businesses across the livestock industry, the association said.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing employed about 88,277 people in Namibia, representing 16.1% of national employment and about 34% of rural employment, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s 2023 Population and Housing Census Labour Force Report.
Although the figures include activities beyond livestock farming, they highlight the importance of agriculture to rural livelihoods and household incomes.
Before the outbreak, the Bank of Namibia projected livestock farming to grow by 2.2% in 2026 and 4.6% in 2027. The EAN warned that the anticipated recovery was now subject to considerable downside risks, particularly if livestock marketing and export restrictions remained in place for an extended period.
As of 14 October 2026, 131 animals had tested positive across 18 farms in the Karasburg Veterinary District, following inspections of 63,011 animals.
The outbreak remained confined to the district, while a separate outbreak had been confirmed in the Zambezi Region. Investigations had not established a direct link between the two outbreaks, the EAN said.
The European Union has temporarily suspended imports of fresh beef, sheep and goat meat, certain farmed and wild ungulates, and some processed meat products, including biltong and jerky, from Namibia’s previously foot-and-mouth disease-free zone.
The EAN said efforts should be made to minimise trade disruptions, particularly for products produced before the outbreak. It welcomed the government’s engagement with the EU over meat products produced before 23 September 2026 and called for similar discussions with other trading partners.
Livestock marketing and movement could remain disrupted for several months, while access to premium export markets could be affected for considerably longer, the association warned.
Farmers could face delayed sales, lower cash receipts and increased biosecurity and livestock maintenance costs. Abattoirs, feedlots, transporters, auctioneers and processors could also experience reduced activity, working hours and income.
The EAN urged farmers and livestock owners to cooperate with surveillance teams, comply with movement restrictions and maintain accurate animal identification and movement records.
Traders, transporters and auctioneers should also follow veterinary instructions, while consumers should avoid panic buying, purchase meat from registered retailers and rely on official veterinary information.
Businesses supplying livestock products and emergency materials should act responsibly and avoid unjustified price increases, the association said.
The EAN also called on the government to engage financial institutions to ease cash-flow pressures and prevent further financial distress among affected farmers and businesses.
It said continued engagement with trading partners, financial institutions and affected businesses would be important in containing the disease, protecting livelihoods and restoring confidence in Namibia’s livestock industry.
The association added that regular and transparent communication would be essential throughout the response.
