Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, P/Bag 003 Gaborone, Gaborone (2026)

21/09/2026

𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗠𝗗 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗞𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚

The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has intensified its Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) awareness campaign across Kgatleng District, combining school outreach programmes with community engagements to strengthen public understanding of biosecurity measures and Botswana’s response to the disease.

Speaking during an FMD awareness campaign at Borwa Junior Secondary School in Morwa, Head of the Department of Veterinary Services ,Kgatleng, Dr David Kitosi, encouraged learners to become ambassadors for livestock health by sharing key biosecurity messages with their families and communities. He said public awareness remains an important tool in preventing the spread of FMD.

Dr Kitosi explained that Government continues to strengthen disease-control measures, including the establishment of stock-free areas to provide an additional buffer against the spread of the disease. While vaccination remains an important intervention, he stressed that strict biosecurity measures and public cooperation are equally critical to protecting Botswana’s livestock sector.

The campaign continued with a kgotla meeting in Morwa, where Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Kobedi Segale, provided residents with an update on the FMD situation in Kgatleng District. He urged farmers, livestock owners and community members to continue complying with movement restrictions and biosecurity measures, emphasising that containing the disease requires a collective effort involving Government, farmers and communities.

During a separate engagement in Bokaa, residents raised concerns about the current vaccination rollout, particularly the timing of vaccination announcements and the limited period available for farmers to prepare. They also highlighted challenges faced by livestock owners who do not have adequate livestock handling facilities to support vaccination exercises, calling for approaches that take farmers’ practical circumstances into account.

The campaign culminated in Pilane, where Dr Segale stressed that Botswana cannot afford to normalise living with FMD, highlighting the importance of maintaining effective disease-control measures to protect the quality and marketability of Botswana’s beef.

He explained that the beef industry’s ability to access international markets depends on maintaining strong disease-control measures and protecting the reputation of Botswana beef. Dr Segale noted that while some countries have adopted approaches that allow them to manage FMD as an endemic disease, Botswana’s circumstances require a strong focus on disease control because of the importance of its export markets and the need to protect the quality and marketability of its beef products.

He further highlighted that the current outbreak presents a new challenge for the southern parts of the country, which have historically not been among the areas commonly affected by FMD, while acknowledging the longstanding role played by communities in northern and north-eastern Botswana in supporting national disease-control efforts.

The Ministry’s engagements across Kgatleng District form part of its ongoing efforts to educate communities, address farmers’ concerns and strengthen collaboration in safeguarding Botswana’s livestock sector against FMD.

21/09/2026

𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐀 -𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐄 𝐃’𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄: 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄

From livestock and fisheries to research, innovation and new market opportunities, Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire are exploring new ways to turn shared ambitions into meaningful agricultural partnerships.

A delegation from Côte d’Ivoire paid a courtesy call on the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Mokganedi Mokopasetso, and key stakeholders to discuss strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

The discussions included Botswana’s participation in the Abidjan Livestock Show, scheduled for 20–22 November 2026, as well as opportunities to deepen collaboration in animal resources and fisheries.

The proposed cooperation covers capacity building, livestock and fisheries production and processing, research and innovation, marketing, disease control, infrastructure, and the exchange of expertise and technical information.

The two countries also seek to promote joint research, training, knowledge sharing and partnerships between economic operators, with the broader goal of contributing to food and nutrition security, job creation and improved livelihoods.

The engagement marks another step towards stronger agricultural value chains and expanded opportunities for cooperation between Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire.

21/09/2026

BOTSWANA VETERINARY SURGEONS COUNCIL WEBSITE LAUNCH; UNDER THE THEME "PROGRAMME ENHANCING VETERINARY REGULATION, TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC ACCESS THROUGH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION".

21/09/2026

𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐰.

The Director of Veterinary Services Dr Kobedi Segale has urged farmers in Kgatleng to comply with veterinary laws and regulations, warning that failure to do so could result in punitive measures.

He called on farmers to take proper care of their cattle and ensure that livestock do not roam freely on the streets. He also raised concern over the destruction of veterinary fences, which facilitates the movement of stray cattle.

The Director said Veterinary Services would begin taking punitive action against those who fail to comply, as part of efforts to control the movement of stray cattle and ultimately curb the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease.

Residents of Kgatleng pledged to cooperate with the authorities and to raise the alarm whenever they notice any irregularities or activities that could undermine efforts to control livestock movement and prevent the spread of disease.

20/09/2026

𝐅𝐌𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐊𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒.

The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture wishes to inform members of the public of the upcoming Consultative Kgotla meetings on the 𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐚, 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝟎𝟖𝟎𝟎𝐡𝐫𝐬,𝟏𝟏𝟎𝟎𝐡𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟏𝟒𝟎𝟎𝐡𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲.

Members of the public and all stakeholders are encouraged to attend.

20/09/2026

🍪 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄… 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐍’𝐓 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇!

At an age when many people may be slowing down, Tebogo Philipo, affectionately known as “Mmangwao,” is proving that a new dream can begin at any stage of life.

And hers started with something as simple as mabele and lebelebele.

From Phase 2, Gaborone, this elderly entrepreneur is transforming locally grown Botswana ingredients into delicious cookie biscuits and what began as a personal experiment in 2022 is now becoming a business attracting a growing number of customers.

She started small, making the biscuits for herself.

Then people tasted them.

They wanted more.

And Mmangwao began to see something bigger, an opportunity to turn Botswana’s own crops into value-added products while creating healthier choices for consumers.

Her biscuits come in a variety of flavours, including cinnamon, chocolate chip and ginger, with options incorporating chia seeds and sesame seeds.

What makes her story even more inspiring is her deliberate choice to use locally produced ingredients.

Instead of looking far beyond our borders, Mmangwao is showing what can happen when we look at what is already being grown in Botswana and ask:

“What else can I create from this?”

But behind the beautiful idea is a very real challenge.

Her demand is now greater than her supply.

Customers are buying in numbers, while others are already asking when they will be able to find her products in shops across Botswana.

The challenge?

Limited space, machinery and baking equipment.

Yet, standing at her first-ever Agric Expo 2026, Mmangwao is not standing there as someone who is too old to start.

She is standing there as a woman who started anyway.

Her journey is a powerful reminder to women and especially those who may believe that age has placed a limit on their dreams that it is never too late to start, to learn, to create and to build something of your own.

🌾 A grain can become a biscuit.
💡 A small idea can become a business.
❤️ And a dream can begin at any age.

Perhaps Mmangwao’s biggest story is not about the biscuits.

Perhaps it is about what happens when a woman refuses to believe that her best days for dreaming are behind her.

And with customers already asking, “When will we find these in shops?”

Maybe this is only the beginning of Mmangwao’s story.

📞 For more information: 71770538

19/09/2026

𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐌𝐃

Farmers affected by the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak have been urged to remain focused and hopeful as Botswana intensifies efforts to contain the disease and protect the country’s livestock industry.

Speaking to farmers in the FMD containment zone, Director of Veterinary Services Dr Segale encouraged farmers not to lose hope despite the severe economic and operational challenges caused by the outbreak.

“Don’t lose focus as farmers, even though you are going through a very rough time. If we lose focus, we will never win the fight against FMD,” Dr Segale told farmers.

During his presentation, Dr Segale outlined Botswana’s strategy for managing the outbreak in Zone 11. He said emergency vaccination had been introduced along the South African border within the containment zone following the detection of FMD cases.
He explained that, after cases were reported in Zone 11, the authorities adopted a containment-fence strategy aimed at controlling livestock movement and preventing the disease from spreading beyond the affected area.

The containment fence stretches from Gamalete to the Sekhutlane-Tshwaanyaneng junction and continues towards Werda. According to Dr Segale, the strategy is intended to restrict livestock movement and strengthen efforts to contain the outbreak.Dr Segale said Botswana’s livestock population is larger than its human population, meaning the country produces more meat that can be consumed domestically.As a result, he stressed that maintaining access to external markets is critical to the sustainability of Botswana’s livestock industry.

He explained that Botswana could not simply adopt the same approach as some neighbouring countries that have chosen to live with FMD. Countries with much larger populations, he said, may be able to absorb a greater proportion of their locally produced meat, allowing farmers and the livestock industry to continue generating income despite the presence of the disease.

Botswana, however, depends significantly on access to external markets, making effective FMD control an important component of protecting the livelihoods of livestock farmers and sustaining the broader industry.Botswana is currently managing FMD within the country while continuing to address the persistent risk of new infections entering through its borders.

He explained that the country has adopted a “vaccination-to-live” strategy rather than pursuing immediate eradication of the disease.He pointed to the North East District as an example of the progress that can be achieved through vaccination, surveillance and cooperation between farmers and veterinary authorities.
Dr Segale further informed farmers that the FMD virus identified in Kgatleng District is SAT 1, a serotype that has also recently been detected in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.He warned that the presence of SAT 1 in South Africa increases the risk of FMD transmission across the region, making border surveillance, vaccination and movement controls important components of Botswana’s response.
Farmers in the containment zone used the engagement to raise concerns about the severe economic impact of the outbreak on their livelihoods.

Dr Bin, a farmer in the containment zone, applauded the Department of Veterinary Services for what he described as a technocratic approach to managing the outbreak.However, he highlighted the financial difficulties facing farmers, noting that he had gone seven months without an income because livestock is his primary source of financial stability.Other farmers raised concerns about their ability to pay workers, purchase feed and other livestock supplies, and meet household expenses.

Despite the challenges facing farmers, Dr Segale maintained that the progress recorded so far indicates that the disease has been brought under control in affected areas.He urged farmers to remain vigilant and continue working closely with veterinary authorities.

He called on farmers to report suspected cases promptly, comply with livestock movement restrictions and cooperate with veterinary officials during vaccination, surveillance and other disease-control operations.

19/09/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐌𝐃 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐞.

The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture yesterday engaged residents of Malolwane village at a Kgotla meeting to discuss measures aimed at strengthening the response to the recent occurance of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Kgatleng area.

Kgosi Bogatsu welcomed the engagement and encouraged residents to adhere to the guidance and measures provided by Veterinary Services. He also called on the Ministry to continue listening to the concerns and suggestions raised by the community, noting that cooperation between authorities and residents is essential in addressing the FMD challenge.

Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Kobedi Segale, emphasised the importance of responsible livestock management, urging farmers to closely monitor their cattie and control their movement. Farmers were reminded to properly kraal their cattle, comply with movement restrictions and cooperate with Veterinary Services during vaccination exercises.

Non-compliance with veterinary requirements may result in enforcement action in accordance with the applicable regulations such as maximum P5000 fine, maximum 5 years imprisonment all accompanied by corporal punishment
A further measure that is expected to be implemented will allow for the taking of cattle found moving in prohibited areas, reinforcing the need for livestock owners to keep their animals within permitted grazing and movement areas. This new requirement will be communicated through government gazette, which will serve as the official medium of communication to the public.

Residents raised concerns about the practical challenges of implementing the measures, including the cost of employing badisa (herders), the risk of theft of matimela (stray cattle), limited resources for constructing megotlha (kraals), and the need for safe and proper fencing. Concerns were also raised regarding the movement and slaughtering of other livestock such as pigs and goats.

The meeting reaffirmed that FMD control is a shared responsibility, requiring cooperation between livestock owners, communities and Veterinary Services. Residents were encouraged to strengthen livestock monitoring and management while continuing to engage authorities on challenges affecting their communities.

Ministry of Lands and Agriculture

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