WINDHOEK, Feb 12, 2026, 15:37 CAT
- Namibia says it needs N$1.5 billion ($94 million) extra to protect its livestock industry from foot-and-mouth disease
- Officials cite outbreaks in South Africa and Botswana and warn of export bans if the virus crosses the border
- Namibia also took delivery of its first China-backed satellite data receiving station, aimed at agriculture and other sectors
Namibia needs about N$1.5 billion ($94 million) in additional funding to protect its livestock sector from foot-and-mouth disease, agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani said, as outbreaks in neighboring countries push closer to its southern border. (Neweralive)
The government says keeping Namibia’s “FMD-free” status is critical for beef exports, after Cabinet approved N$57.5 million for prevention and preparedness measures but officials said more spending was needed. (The Hans India)
Foot-and-mouth disease, or FMD, is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and sheep, and an outbreak can quickly trigger trade restrictions. Zaamwani told lawmakers a fresh case in South Africa’s Northern Cape was about 400 km from Namibia’s border, while Botswana also reported an outbreak in an area previously treated as FMD-free. (Com)
The planned work includes border disinfection and incineration sites, tighter checks on animal movements, and splitting FMD-free zones into smaller “compartments” to limit the damage if an outbreak occurs. Zaamwani also outlined plans for a national vaccine storage facility and upgrades to meat-processing plants to try to keep some trade moving.
Namibia’s biggest risk is not just animal health, but market access. Meat Corporation of Namibia acting chief executive Albertus !Aochamub said an outbreak would stop red meat exports, while Savanna Beef Processors chairperson Siegfried Schneifer warned trade in livestock and livestock products would halt immediately. (The Namibian)
The downside is blunt: even with more money, the virus could still slip through via informal movements of animals and animal products, and trading partners can move faster than governments. The larger funding request also has to compete with other priorities, and it is not clear how quickly it could be deployed at every high-risk crossing.
Separately, Namibia on Thursday received its first Satellite Ground Data Receiving Station — a ground facility that captures and processes satellite imagery and other data as satellites pass overhead — in a handover linked to long-running cooperation with China, Space in Africa reported. (Space in Africa)
Officials at the ceremony said the station is already receiving data from the CBERS-4 satellite on passes over Namibia and that 14 Namibian personnel have been trained to operate and maintain the site, according to the report.
The same report said Phase II work is focused on software tools for uses that include agriculture and livestock management, disaster risk management, fisheries monitoring and border surveillance. It also said Namibia is drafting a Space Science and Technology Bill to set rules for space activities.
In financial markets, the Namibian Stock Exchange was open at the time of reporting, with its equity session scheduled to close at 17:00 CAT, according to the exchange’s trading calendar. (Namibia Securities Exchange)
For Namibia, the two moves land in the same week: protect the country’s main animal export chain from a fast-spreading livestock virus, and build out data infrastructure meant to make planning — from farms to borders — a little less blind.
