For cattle farmer Rebecca Dube of Jackalas No. 1, the latest Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak initially threatened to reopen old wounds. Having endured devastating losses during outbreaks in 2013 and 2022, the mere confirmation of a new wave in Zone 6b revived painful memories of how close she had once come to slipping back into poverty.
Each of the previous outbreaks was followed by depopulation, wiping out hard-earned progress just as her cattle farming venture was beginning to show steady growth. When news of the current outbreak broke, fear and despondency quickly set in for the 63 year old farmer, dimming the renewed sense of purpose she had worked so hard to rebuild. That fear, however, was short-lived.
Authorities soon announced that, unlike in the past, Zone 6b would not be depopulated. Instead, cattle would be vaccinated, a decision that instantly transformed despair into hope for Dube and many other farmers in the area. “I am elated because this time around I am not going to lose my cattle,” said Dube in an interview, explaining that losing the high quality breed of cattle that she had received during the 2022 re-stocking exercise would send her to an early grave.
The relief was even greater given that her cows are expected to calve for the first time since she received them, a milestone that would have made any loss particularly devastating. But she is happy that a decision has been taken to vaccinate cattle in Zone 6b and not to depopulate the area like it has been done before.
The new approach has strengthened Dube’s resolve to remain in cattle farming, an undertaking that has already begun to transform her life. Proceeds from cattle sales have enabled her to buy a vehicle and adequately provide for her family. Her passion for cattle rearing dates back to childhood but her journey into farming began in earnest in 2008. To raise capital, she sold firewood and earned money by weeding and ploughing fields, carefully saving portions of her income to buy one cow at a time.
Dube was steadily moving closer to her dream of using cattle farming as a pathway to sustainable wealth creation. “I love cattle because to the ordinary Motswana they represent a bank,” said Dube. Her determination paid off when she eventually saved P3 500 to purchase her first cow, a moment she still recalls with pride. “After buying that cow, which then gave me a calf, I continued selling firewood and soon managed to buy another cow. It was a dream come true for me,” stated Dube. Those first two cows became the foundation of her herd and the motivation to persevere, even in the face of recurring FMD outbreaks in Zone 6b.
Confirming the new strategy, Principal Technical Officer at the Department of Veterinary Services, Millan James, said Zone 6b will not be depopulated, with vaccination instead being implemented to spare farmers the distress experienced during previous outbreaks.
Surveillance and vaccination will continue for some time and could result in the area being declared a Red Zone, like the Okavango and Chobe regions. For farmers like Dube, the shift in approach has brought renewed confidence and much-needed reprieve, a chance not only to protect their livestock but also to safeguard livelihoods built over years of perseverance.
