FAO Enhances Namibia's Efforts to Control CBPP Outbreaks
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) handed over a Toyota Double Cab vehicle and 40 000 cattle ear tags to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform (MAWLR) to reinforce the Namibia government’s efforts to control the outbreak of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP/Lung sickness) and other animal diseases.
The donation is part of a USD 500 000 project funded by FAO's Emergency portfolio to support the government's efforts to contain the spread of the disease.
"The CBPP outbreak came just as the country was commencing recovery from the devastating socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 and thus threatened to exacerbate the economic situation of the affected communities," said Assistant FAO Representative (Programmes), Ferdinard Mwapopi, at the handover ceremony.
"This support is in line with the commitment of FAO's technical assistance as espoused in our Country Programming Framework (2019-2023) under the priority four titled ‘Strengthened capacity for disaster risk reduction, resilience building and climate change adaptation and mitigation’."
The donated vehicle will be used by the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) to manage animal checkpoints (roadblocks), vaccination, tagging, surveillance, and tracing livestock movement. The cattle ear tags will be used to identify and track individual cattle, which is essential for disease control and prevention.
"The livelihood of communities in this area depends on agriculture. Therefore, it is crucial that stakeholders in the sector collaborate, as COVID-19 has demonstrated, and now, in this case, CBPP, as no single stakeholder can effectively respond to disease outbreaks alone," said Mwapopi.
In addition to the vehicle and cattle ear tags, FAO is also providing training to farmers and DVS staff on CBPP during the surveillance period of the disease. The organization will also supply camping material, vaccination equipment, PPE, and laboratory equipment to the Ministry.
Receiving the donation, Dr Albertina Shilongo, Chief Veterinary Officer, highlighted the importance of partnerships in tackling animal health emergencies for resilient agrifood systems. "Partnerships like the one between FAO and MAWLR, along with other stakeholders, are the key to improving animal health in the country," said Dr Shilongo.
What is CBPP/Lung Sickness?
CBPP, or lung sickness, is a lingering and insidious disease affecting herds, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. It is caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides and stands as one of the most economically significant diseases in Namibia. Notably, CBPP is considered endemic in the northern central and Kavango regions, with sporadic occurrences in the Kunene region. Since 1887, it has remained a notifiable disease in Namibia. Most recently, the disease was first detected in the Ncamagoro and Musese constituencies of the Kavango West Region on 28 February 2022.