Why Namibia does not conduct routine vaccination against Foot-and-Mouth Disease in the FMD-free zone

With ongoing FMD outbreaks in neighbouring South Africa, there are frequent questions about why cattle in Namibia’s FMD-free zone are not vaccinated as a preventive measure.

Namibia’s approach is aimed at protecting its internationally recognised FMD-free status without routine vaccination. This status is critical for access to high-value export markets. Routine vaccination makes it more difficult to prove that animals are truly disease-free, as vaccinated cattle develop antibodies that are difficult to distinguish from those caused by natural infection.

If Namibia were to introduce preventive vaccination, it could restrict market access and have serious economic consequences for the livestock industry, even in the absence of an outbreak.

Instead, Namibia focuses on strict movement controls, surveillance, border measures and rapid response capacity. Vaccination remains an option during an outbreak, but only in a controlled and targeted manner.

Not vaccinating is therefore a deliberate strategy to protect market access and long-term value for farmers, while managing FMD risk through prevention and preparedness.