The Namibian government suspended all movement of cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and game, as well as their by-products, such as hides, and dairy and meat products, until further notice, along with all imports and exports of cloven-hoofed animals and their products into the country.
The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak also forced an immediate stop to the country’s valuable red meat export industry, one of its most important foreign exchange earners, a mere six days before one of its most important agricultural events, the Windhoek Show Livestock Expo.
Dr Charles Mubita, Namibia’s acting minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, announced the outbreak in a statement issued to the country’s parliament on Wednesday, 23 September.
“Today I rise with profound sadness and uneasiness to announce the unfortunate detection of foot-and-mouth disease in our FMD-free zone. The disease was detected [on] a commercial farm located in [the] Karasburg State Veterinary District […] during routine disease surveillance by veterinary officials.”
He said samples were collected from 11 cattle showing clinical signs consistent with FMD on 22 September.
“The laboratory analysis was conducted at the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek. Ten of the 11 samples tested positive [on 23 September]. This state [thus] confirms an active FMD outbreak in Namibia’s World Organisation for Animal Health-recognised FMD-free zone. As such, this new development compels the Ministry to institute immediate control measures, as provided for in the Animal Health Act No. 1 of 2011, to control and contain the outbreak within the shortest period of time as possible.”
Industry response
In a statement issued late on Wednesday, Thinus Pretorius, president of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), showed his full support of the country’s Chief Veterinary Officer and the country’s Directorate of Veterinary Services.
“We can only contain this disease if every one of us takes responsibility, and stop all movement, starting now,” he said. He added that all livestock owners needed to:
- Stop all movement of cloven-hoofed animals and products thereof;
- Comply fully with instructions from veterinary officials and law enforcement officers;
- Immediately report any suspected FMD case or any movement of cloven-hoofed animals to the nearest state veterinarian;
- Apply strict biosecurity on farms; and
- Refrain from sharing unverified information.
“This disease does not respect fences, boundaries or good intentions,” Pretorius said. “It is stopped only by discipline, and that discipline must come from all of us. One unauthorised load, one unreported case or one careless visitor can undo the efforts of everyone else. Every farmer, transporter, buyer and member of the public carries responsibility for what happens next.”
He added that the country’s response to the outbreak was governed by the Animal Health Act of 2011 and the Animal Health Regulations of 2018, which gave the Directorate of Veterinary Services “full authority to implement restrictions.”
“Given the scale of the threat to our livestock industry, our rural communities and the national economy, the NAU [calls on] government to declare a state of emergency so that the full resources and power of the state are available to contain this outbreak as quickly as possible,” he said.
Unified responsibility
In his statement, Mubita also took note of the serious impact and implications the movement ban and suspension of livestock marketing would have on the Namibian economy and people’s livelihoods.
“I would like to assure the nation that the Ministry will work tirelessly to contain the disease within the shortest period of time,” he said.
He called for “strong collaboration and support” from all spheres of government, industry, stakeholders and the public “to unite in the fight against this devastating [and] highly infectious disease.”
“It is a national responsibility for every Namibian citizen that [the] restoration and normalisation of marketing of livestock remain our highest priority.”
Until the suspension of exports, Namibia registered strong beef exports. In the first half of 2026, beef exports were 52,7% more than the same period in 2025, at 8,342 million kilograms, as reported by New Era. Exports of hides and processed leather increased by 92,5% to reach 924 769kg. Weaner prices were 7% higher in the first half of 2026 than the same period in 2025. The country earned N$2,1 billion (R2,1 billion) in foreign exchange from beef exports in 2025.
