NCCI commits N$1.5 million to Namibia’s FMD response

The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) has donated N$1.5 million to Namibia’s Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Support Fund and pledged a further N$100 000 to help small-scale meat traders affected by the outbreak.

NCCI president Vetumbuavi Mungunda handed over the contribution in Windhoek today, saying the private sector had a responsibility to support the government’s efforts to contain the disease and protect livelihoods across the livestock value chain. Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani welcomed the donation, describing it as a timely contribution towards an animal-health emergency threatening Namibia’s livestock industry, export markets and rural incomes.

Mungunda warned that prolonged livestock movement and export restrictions could put an estimated N$1.6 billion in revenue at risk during the final quarter of 2026, based on historical marketing trends for October to December. The cattle value chain accounts for an estimated N$1.27 billion of that potential loss, while the sheep sector faces a possible loss of N$195 million.

He said restrictions were already affecting export and smaller abattoirs, livestock auctions, traders, transporters and businesses involved in live-animal exports. Disruptions could undermine cash flow and threaten businesses’ ability to retain employees. “If restrictions for the exporting of Namibian livestock products extend beyond six months, between 15 000 and 20 000 jobs in the agricultural sector may be lost,” Mungunda said. He warned that between 85 000 and 125 000 people could be affected.

Outbreaks – Namibia confirmed its first outbreak in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the //Kharas Region on 23 September, followed by another at Kalala Island in the Zambezi Region on 7 October.

Zaamwani said the outbreaks had placed pressure on the livestock sector and prompted strict movement and trading restrictions to prevent further transmission. She said the Directorate of Veterinary Services was implementing control measures under national contingency plans and the Animal Health Act, including surveillance, movement controls, tracing potentially exposed animals and vaccination.

In the Zambezi Region, 10 864 cattle were vaccinated between 7 and 13 October. During surveillance, veterinary teams examined 6 226 cattle at 17 crush pens. No new clinical cases or additional lesions were detected during those inspections, the minister said. In the south, plans are advancing for a disease-control fence from Klein Manasse near Aroab to Naute Dam and onwards to the Fish River Canyon. Compulsory vaccination in the Karasburg State Veterinary District is also being prepared.

Zaamwani cautioned livestock owners against vaccinating animals independently, saying they must follow instructions from veterinary authorities. She urged farmers and livestock traders to observe movement restrictions, maintain biosecurity and report suspected cases promptly.

Mungunda said Namibia’s FMD-free status had been a strategic economic advantage for more than 60 years. The broader livestock value chain, including meat processing and leather manufacturing, contributed nearly N$7.9 billion to the economy in 2025. The NCCI said the additional N$100 000 would serve as seed funding to mobilise support for small-scale meat traders, including kapana sellers. The arrangements for administering the money are still to be finalised. The chamber also called on businesses, financial institutions and insurers to help affected enterprises through flexible support measures.

Zaamwani urged more businesses and industry associations to contribute to the national fund, saying the response required cooperation between government, the private sector, farmers and communities to protect the national herd, jobs and export access.