Zimbabwe Lifts Ban on Cloven-Hoofed Animal Imports from Four South African Provinces
Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has officially lifted the ban on importing cloven-hoofed animals and their products from Gauteng, North West, Northern Cape, and Western Cape provinces in South Africa. This decision, outlined in a notice from the Veterinary Services Directorate on January 7, 2025, has been warmly welcomed by South Africa’s Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) and the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz).
A Strategic Move Amid Biosecurity Challenges
The lifting of the ban comes with a clear caveat: imports from South Africa’s other provinces remain restricted until further assessments are completed. According to the notice, these biosecurity measures are essential to Zimbabwe’s strategy for monitoring and managing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which continues to affect parts of South Africa.
Wandile Sihlobo, Chief Economist at Agbiz, praised the collaborative efforts of the government and industry in addressing disease control. “The past three years have been tough for South Africa’s livestock and poultry sectors due to the spread of animal diseases. While outbreaks are not unique to South Africa, the challenges here have intensified recently,” he said.
He noted that between 2021 and 2022, South Africa faced its most widespread FMD outbreak, affecting six of the nine provinces—a first in the country’s history. This prompted the government and industry stakeholders to enhance farm biosecurity measures and disease surveillance.
Positive Progress in Disease Management
Significant progress has been made. On October 25, 2024, the Department of Agriculture announced that the FMD outbreaks from 2021-2022 had been successfully resolved in the North West, Free State, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces. Testing on quarantined farms confirmed the absence of the disease, and this was validated by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Sihlobo emphasized the broader implications of these efforts. “While we managed to keep some borders open for meat exports, live animal and genetic material exports to neighboring countries were severely restricted. This impacted countries like Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, which traditionally relied on South African genetics to improve their herds.”
Restoring Cross-Border Livestock Trade
The reopening of Zimbabwe’s borders addresses two critical challenges:
- Revitalizing Breeding Programs: Zimbabwean farmers can now source high-quality genetic material from South Africa, improving their breeding programs.
- Restoring Market Access for South African Breeders: South African stud breeders, who had lost market access during the ban, can now resume the sale of bulls, rams, semen, and embryos to Zimbabwe.
Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the RPO, highlighted the mutual benefits of the market reopening. “The resumption of trade benefits Zimbabwean farmers, who can access superior genetics, and South African farmers, who regain a critical market for their livestock and genetic material.”
A Step Forward for Regional Agricultural Collaboration
This development marks a significant step in strengthening regional agricultural ties while underscoring the importance of robust disease management. By reopening trade channels, Zimbabwe and South Africa can bolster livestock quality and economic resilience across their agricultural sectors.
