Namibia Minute.
Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Organization

Directorate of Veterinary Services

Also known as: DVS

Government agency managing Namibia's animal health surveillance, disease control, and livestock import regulations, including rabies vaccination campaigns and foot-and-mouth disease prevention.

2025-05-242026-06-08
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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. February 2026

  2. Informanté

    Directorate of Veterinary Services is responsible for technical decisions and outbreak management

    Source

    “The DVS and LLPBN remain responsible for technical decisions and outbreak management, while the fund provides financial and operational backing where required.”

    N$15 billion livestock sector safeguarded with new Foot-and-Mouth Disease Fund

  3. New Era

    Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) is working to strengthen inspection and biosecurity measures at borders

    Source

    “There are concerted efforts by the government, through its Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), and industry players, such as the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), to strengthen inspection and biosecurity measures at all borders.”

    Farmers' Kraal with Erastus Ngaruka – FMD crisis: Potential impact of an outbreak

  4. Informanté

    Directorate of Veterinary Services is collaborating with FMD Support Fund and farmers' unions on containment measures

    Source

    “The FMD Support Fund, managed collaboratively by Namibia's four farmers' unions and government agencies such as the DVS and the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), provides financial and logistical support for containment measures.”

    Namibia strengthens Foot-and-Mouth Disease defences amid regional outbreaks

  5. New Era

    Directorate of Veterinary Services supported procurement of FMD equipment, vaccines and materials

    Source

    “Procured with the support of the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN) and the Directorate of Veterinary Services, the additional equipment, vaccines and related materials will form part of the FMD emergency mobile store, which will be deployed to suspected outbreak sites across the country immediately upon request from the directorate.”

    Namibia tightens noose on FMD control …N$1.5b needed to contain disease

  6. The Namibian

    The Directorate of Veterinary Services has implemented controls at ports of entry including vehicle and passenger disinfection

    Source

    “The Directorate of Veterinary Services has implemented controls at ports of entry, including disinfection of vehicles and passengers.”

    Govt vows readiness for foot-and-mouth

  7. Informanté

    Directorate of Veterinary Services engaged on Avian Influenza Master Plan with PPA

    Source

    “Engagement with the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) on an Avian Influenza Master Plan was a major step forward.”

    NAU reports strong growth in Namibia’s poultry sector

  8. Informanté

    Directorate of Veterinary Services has implemented stringent precautionary measures including border electrification and import restrictions

    Source

    “Namibia's Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), supported by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPBN), has implemented stringent precautionary measures, including the electrification of border sections, intensified disinfection at border posts and airports, and restrictions on the import of animal products without valid permits.”

    Strict measures urged as Foot-and-Mouth Disease threat looms in Southern Africa

  9. New Era

    Directorate of Veterinary Services will request deployment of FMD emergency mobile store to outbreak sites

    Source

    “The country's procured additional equipment, vaccines and related materials will form part of the FMD emergency mobile store, which will be deplored to suspected outbreak sites across the country immediately upon request from the directorate.”

    Namibia procures equipment, vaccines to combat FMD …as SA, Botswana battle disease
  10. January 2026

  11. The Namibian

    Directorate of Veterinary Services has implemented controls at ports of entry through vehicle disinfection and strict product control

    Source

    “The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has also implemented controls at ports of entry through the disinfection of vehicles and passengers, and strict control of products entering Namibia.”

    Namibia on high alert as foot-and-mouth disease threatens N$8-billion red meat industry

  12. The Namibian

    Directorate of Veterinary Services conducted regional SADC slaughter audit in November

    Source

    “The Directorate of Veterinary Services conducted the regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) slaughter audit in November, which the company says has paved the way for European Union export certification targeted for 2026.”

    Savanna Beef secures N$40 million boost
Society

Over 120,000 dogs vaccinated as rabies control advances

The News

Namibia has vaccinated over 124,000 dogs in 2025 and more than 157,000 in 2024, achieving approximately 61% coverage nationally, according to the Chief Veterinary Officer. While the country has not yet reached its 70% vaccination target, national rabies positivity rates have dropped below 10%, with awareness campaigns reaching about 82% of schools in the Northern Communal Areas.

Why it matters

Namibia is making progress toward eliminating rabies, with vaccination rates now around 61% of the dog population and a measurable drop in rabies cases, though some regions still report infection rates above 30% with human fatalities occurring. Reaching the global goal of zero human rabies deaths by 2030 depends on continued vaccination and awareness efforts.

20 April 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 20 April

  1. Over 120,000 dogs vaccinated as rabies control advances

    Namibia has vaccinated over 124,000 dogs in 2025 and more than 157,000 in 2024, achieving approximately 61% coverage nationally, according to the Chief Veterinary Officer. While the country has not yet reached its 70% vaccination target, national rabies positivity rates have dropped below 10%, with awareness campaigns reaching about 82% of schools in the Northern Communal Areas.

    20 April 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Namibia bans livestock imports from FMD-affected Botswana

    Namibia's Directorate of Veterinary Services has imposed an immediate ban on imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from designated zones in Botswana following confirmed foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks. The directorate has also suspended poultry and poultry products from Argentina's Buenos Aires province due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

    17 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 14 March

  1. Livestock board offers 15% subsidy on LSD vaccines

    The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia is offering cattle producers a 15% subsidy on approved Lumpy Skin Disease vaccines, available on a first-come, first-served basis since 1 February 2026. Registered producers must purchase approved vaccines, obtain vaccination certificates from the Directorate of Veterinary Services, and submit claims with original receipts and bank confirmation letters, with applications limited to 350 doses per producer per subsidy period.

    14 March 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 13 March

  1. Namibia launches regional awareness campaign on Foot-and-Mouth Disease

    The Directorate of Veterinary Services will conduct a regional awareness campaign on Foot-and-Mouth Disease from 16 to 20 March 2026 across seven regions, in collaboration with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board and farmers' unions, to strengthen preparedness and response to the ongoing FMD threat in the SADC region.

    13 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 11 March

  1. Namibia restricts livestock imports from Botswana over FMD outbreak

    Namibia has imposed immediate restrictions on the importation and in-transit movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their products from ten zones in Botswana following confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks reported by Botswana's Veterinary Authority. The measure aims to prevent introduction of the FMD virus into Namibia, though imports from other zones remain permitted with veterinary approval.

    11 March 2026 · Informanté →

Monday 9 March

  1. Namibian delegation shares FMD control strategies at Cape Town conference

    Namibian livestock and veterinary representatives participated in the 2026 International Forum for Transboundary Animal Diseases and Food Safety Conference in Cape Town, where regional and international experts discussed strategies to prevent and control Foot and Mouth Disease in Southern Africa. The conference emphasised the importance of surveillance, early detection, regional coordination, and cross-border communication, with several partners expressing interest in supporting Namibia's efforts to maintain its FMD-free zone without vaccination.

    9 March 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 3 March

  1. Driest January since 1981 prompts proactive farming strategies

    Namibia's Meteorological Services reported the driest January since 1981, with uneven rainfall posing risks to livestock and crop production. The article urges farmers to take early action—such as selling vulnerable animals and securing irrigation—and calls on policymakers to support export abattoirs, subsidize irrigation systems, and strengthen border security against foot-and-mouth disease.

    3 March 2026 · New Era →

  2. Government and private sector mobilize N$13m to prevent livestock disease

    Namibia has launched an FMD Support Fund and Task Force to protect its N$15 billion livestock industry from Foot-and-Mouth Disease, with 11 partners pledging nearly N$13 million. The effort aims to strengthen surveillance, border biosecurity, and response capacity amid heightened risk from FMD outbreaks in neighbouring countries.

    3 March 2026 · New Era →

  3. Namibia launches N$13 million foot-and-mouth disease fund

    Namibia's newly established foot-and-mouth disease support fund, organized by farmers' unions, the Directorate of Veterinary Services, and the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia, has raised N$12.76 million from corporations and unions to strengthen biosecurity and emergency response. The fund aims to raise N$50 million to complement N$57 million allocated by the agriculture ministry for awareness, prevention, and rapid response efforts.

    3 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 2 March

  1. Private, public sectors pledge N$11m to FMD prevention fund

    Private and public sector partners have pledged over N$11.2 million towards a newly launched Foot and Mouth Disease Support Fund targeting N$50 million to strengthen Namibia's prevention capacity, veterinary surveillance, and outbreak response. The move comes as Namibia faces increasing FMD risk from neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, with a national FMD Task Force established to coordinate prevention and containment strategies.

    2 March 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 1 March

  1. Namibia protects FMD-free status to maintain beef export markets

    Namibia has reaffirmed that its foot-and-mouth disease-free status without vaccination is essential for protecting export markets and the agricultural economy, warning that unauthorized vaccine use could jeopardize this standing and result in severe financial losses. The country manages FMD risk through strict movement controls, surveillance, and border measures, with vaccination reserved only for outbreaks under veterinary authority, as the no-vaccination policy in the free zone allows access to high-value international meat markets.

    1 March 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 27 February

  1. Agriculture Ministry launches FMD support fund and task force

    Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture has established the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Support Fund and FMD Task Force to protect the livestock sector against potential outbreaks, with private sector pledges including N$2 million each from Bank Windhoek and FirstRand, and N$3 million annually from the Namibia Agricultural Union. The initiatives will support vaccination campaigns, border biosecurity, veterinary infrastructure, and farmer awareness programmes to safeguard Namibia's N$15 billion livestock industry.

    27 February 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Namibia launches FMD support fund with N$11 million pledged

    The foot-and-mouth disease support fund was officially launched at the agriculture ministry with industry pledges of N$11 million. The fund, a coordinated effort between the four national farmers' unions and the Directorate of Veterinary Services, aims to finance awareness programmes, farmer training, and rapid responses to any outbreak, with a first-phase target of N$50 million.

    27 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 February

  1. FMD vaccination would cost Namibia premium beef export markets

    Namibia's livestock industry has warned that vaccinating against foot-and-mouth disease would severely damage the sector by making the country ineligible for premium markets such as the EU, UK, and US, which collectively import the majority of Namibian beef at high-value prices. Officials stress that Namibia's status as "FMD-free without vaccination" is crucial for market access, and any vaccination south of the veterinary fence is illegal; the Directorate of Veterinary Services has warned it will confiscate and cull illegally vaccinated cattle.

    26 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 25 February

  1. Minister outlines support measures for unregistered veterinary graduates

    Agriculture Minister Inge Zaamwani has outlined interventions to support more than 30 veterinary graduates unable to practise due to unregistered status with the Namibian Veterinary Council, including three attempts at registration exams, temporary registration during preparation, UNAM's eight-week preparatory module (with 2024 fee coverage), and an internship programme facilitated by the Directorate of Veterinary Services.

    25 February 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 24 February

  1. Namibia to cull cattle illegally vaccinated against FMD

    The chief veterinary officer warned that cattle found to have been illegally vaccinated against foot and mouth disease will be culled, as vaccination south of the veterinary cordon fence would cost Namibia its FMD-free status and access to international beef markets. Recent FMD outbreaks in South Africa and Botswana have prompted increased surveillance in Namibian border regions.

    24 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 21 February

  1. Namibia launches private sector Foot-and-Mouth Disease prevention fund

    Namibia's livestock industry has launched a privately-funded Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Support Fund to strengthen prevention and emergency response measures, amid regional FMD cases in South Africa and Botswana that could threaten the country's N$15 billion livestock sector. The fund, led by four national farmers' unions, seeks N$50 million in private contributions to support veterinary authorities and coordinate industry action against potential outbreaks.

    21 February 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 17 February

  1. Foot-and-mouth disease threatens Namibia's livestock exports

    With FMD spreading in neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, Namibia's livestock industry—valued at N$6–15 billion and heavily reliant on exports—faces an imminent threat. An outbreak could devastate export markets, employment, food prices, and government budgets across multiple economic sectors.

    17 February 2026 · New Era →

Sunday 15 February

  1. Namibia strengthens FMD prevention as outbreaks emerge regionally

    Following Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks in neighbouring countries, Namibia's agricultural sector has restructured its FMD response framework to enhance coordination between government and private stakeholders, with focus on surveillance and disinfection measures in high-risk border areas to maintain the country's FMD-free status.

    15 February 2026 · Informanté →

Thursday 12 February

  1. Namibia allocates N$57m for FMD control, seeks N$1.5bn more

    Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani announced government approval of N$57 million for biosecurity measures to protect Namibia's FMD-free status, but said the country needs an estimated N$1.5 billion additional funding to establish vaccine storage facilities, buffer zones, and other disease containment infrastructure amid rising FMD cases in neighboring South Africa and Botswana.

    12 February 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 11 February

  1. Namibia needs N$1.5 billion to defend against FMD spread

    Agriculture Minister Inge Zaamwani announced that Namibia requires an investment of N$1.5 billion to strengthen prevention and preparedness measures against Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which is currently affecting South Africa and Botswana. Cabinet has approved an additional N$57.5 million for critical FMD prevention activities, but the minister stressed that further investment is needed to protect the livestock sector valued at N$15 billion and preserve market access.

    11 February 2026 · Informanté →

  2. Government asserts readiness for foot-and-mouth disease threat

    The Ministry of Agriculture says Namibia's animal health systems are prepared to respond to foot-and-mouth disease risks from neighbouring countries experiencing outbreaks, and has implemented preventive measures including veterinary controls at ports of entry and a ban on meat and dairy imports from South Africa since September.

    11 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 9 February

  1. Namibia's poultry sector shows strong growth amid input cost challenges

    The Namibia Agricultural Union reports that the poultry sector is the second-largest contributor to farmers' cash receipts, with broiler production up 14.94% in 2024 and egg production up 6.63%. Growth is expected to continue in 2025, though the sector faces challenges from high input costs, climate variability, and animal health risks including potential avian influenza spillover from South Africa.

    9 February 2026 · Informanté →

Saturday 7 February

  1. Namibia heightens biosecurity against Foot-and-Mouth Disease threat

    Namibia remains free of Foot-and-Mouth Disease but remains on high alert as cases spread in neighbouring South Africa and Botswana. Veterinary authorities have implemented stringent border and import controls, and are urging farmers to observe strict biosecurity measures to protect the country's disease-free status.

    7 February 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 3 February

  1. Namibia stockpiles FMD vaccines as regional outbreaks spread

    Namibia has procured equipment, vaccines and materials to combat foot-and-mouth disease, and established mobile emergency stores to respond to suspected outbreaks. The move comes as South Africa and Botswana battle mounting FMD cases, prompting strict border controls and import bans to protect Namibia's status as one of Africa's few FMD-free countries.

    3 February 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 27 January

  1. Namibia strengthens defences as foot-and-mouth disease threatens exports

    Namibia's N$8-billion annual red meat industry faces serious risk from foot-and-mouth disease spreading from South Africa, prompting authorities to implement biosecurity measures including vehicle disinfection at borders and a ban on South African meat, dairy, and live animals. Industry leaders warn that an outbreak would devastate exports to key markets including the EU, China, and the United States, causing farmer bankruptcies and widespread job losses.

    27 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 14 January

  1. Savanna Beef secures N$40 million investment boost

    Savanna Beef has raised an additional N$40 million in private equity funding from BPF Windsor Holdings Ltd, bringing total private equity financing to N$290 million. The company has completed its abattoir construction, begun meat production for training purposes, and is pursuing EU export certification targeted for 2026.

    14 January 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 9 January

  1. Namibia suspends bran imports from Angola over compliance

    The Directorate of Veterinary Services has suspended importation of bran and milling by-products from Angola effective 5 January 2026, citing non-compliance with import requirements and disease risks to Namibian livestock. All previously issued import permits have been cancelled pending further agreement between the two countries' veterinary authorities.

    9 January 2026 · Informanté →

Directorate of Veterinary Services — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute