Botswana has formally closed Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks in Disease Control Zones 3C and 6B after emergency vaccination, animal identification and enhanced surveillance successfully suppressed transmission, marking a significant step towards restoring the country's livestock trade.
The two zones, located in Botswana's North East District, were affected by FMD outbreaks earlier this year. Authorities responded with mass vaccination, strict livestock movement controls and strengthened disease surveillance to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of the country.
The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture said the outbreaks in Zone 3C-Maitengwe and Zone 6B have now been officially closed with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The government said the intervention was the result of coordinated efforts involving veterinary authorities, farmers and other stakeholders.
The closure does not mean vaccination and monitoring will stop. Botswana plans to maintain targeted vaccination in the North East to preserve herd immunity and reduce the risk of the virus being reintroduced from neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, FMD control measures remain active in Zones 11 and 13, where transmission has continued to be reported. Authorities are maintaining emergency vaccination, biosecurity measures, livestock movement controls, active surveillance and containment zones in those areas.
The disease has created significant disruption for Botswana's livestock industry, particularly because movement restrictions and international trade controls affect farmers, traders, abattoirs and rural businesses. Botswana's FMD-free status for several zones was suspended following the 2026 outbreaks, limiting access to important export markets.
The government is now preparing a dossier seeking recognition of affected areas as ‘FMD Free-With-Vaccination’ zones. It is also developing a containment boundary intended to separate infected areas from disease-free livestock zones and eventually support the restoration of international market access.
NBF Insight
Botswana's progress shows that effective livestock disease control is ultimately an economic intervention. Closing the two northern outbreak zones is important not simply because it signals veterinary success, but because controlling FMD is essential to restoring cattle movement, farmer incomes and premium beef export markets.
The remaining outbreaks in Zones 11 and 13 mean Botswana is not yet out of danger. The next test will be whether sustained vaccination, surveillance and movement controls can contain the remaining transmission and allow the country to progressively rebuild its international beef-market access.
