Namibia: Why does Namibia have a veterinary cordon fence?

Published 2021년 7월 22일

Tridge summary

Namibia's veterinary cordon fence, or 'redline,' is a crucial measure for preventing stock diseases and protecting the country's beef export industry. However, it has a controversial history, being used as a political boundary during Germany's colonial rule and apartheid South Africa, and continues to cause economic discrimination. Despite discussions since independence about its removal, the government faces challenges in balancing constitutional duties, disease control, and international export requirements. The lack of progress in implementing 2018 land conference resolutions to improve opportunities for livestock herders north of the redline highlights the need for increased commitment and investment in Namibia's agricultural sector.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

NAMIBIA'S veterinary cordon fence (VCF), also known as the redline, is a stock disease control mechanism that protects Namibia's beef exporting industry from stock diseases, such as foot-and-mouth and lung sickness. Over the years, Namibia's beef exporting industry has built a reputation as an industry that is committed to high standards. This has enabled Namibia to export meat to countries in the European Union and other countries, such as the United Kingdom (UK), Norway and South Africa. In 2020, Namibia became the first African country to export red meat to the United States (US). In the 2017/18 financial year, Namibia's agricultural exports contributed N$5,77 billion to the Namibian economy. Of this amount, N$3,4 billion came from beef exports, while the rest came from exporting sheep and goat, charcoal, grapes and from trophy hunting. Beef exports clearly play an important role in the Namibian agricultural economy, and stringent disease-control measures are crucial in ...

Source: All Africa