ONYAANYA – The Ministry of Agriculture is offering training on controlling the spread of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) to farmers in northern Namibia for the next two weeks.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Simon Nghipandulwa, encouraged northern farmers to attend the training, which started last week Wednesday and ends on 15 March at their regional offices, during an interview with Nampa last week.
The regional offices are situated at Otjinungua and Etanga in the Kunene region, at Etenderera in the Kavango West region, and at Bravo in Kavango East.
The training is aimed at equipping livestock farmers, particularly those residing in the northern communal areas (NCAs), to help them contain the spread of CBPP.
An outbreak of CBPP occurred last year, but has since been contained. Nghipandulwa said now is a good time to train farmers so that they are equipped, should another outbreak be experienced.
“The assistance is through the provision of essential needs such as camping equipment, personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment and vaccination equipment, as well as awareness-creation through training farmers and veterinary officials on CBPP,” he said.
“They will be taught how to recognise the signs and symptoms of CBPP in their cattle to enable early detection and reporting as well so as to contribute to the national effort towards eradicating CBPP from Namibia,” emphasised Nghipandulwa.
During the training, farmers will likewise be informed of other animal health threats such as anthrax, foot and mouth disease and rabies, as well as responsible livestock management practices.
“The training will also empower farmers to play a crucial role in safeguarding the health of their animals and the overall wellbeing of Namibia’s livestock industry,” he continued.
The training is supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and facilitated by the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) in the agriculture ministry.
Nghipandulwa indicated that the length of the training will vary, depending on the availability of the farmers, but it could range from two to four days per group.
– Nampa