Govt Assures Cattle Farmers In Western Province Of Ready Beef Markets In Angola, DRC

Minister of Fisheries and Livestock has disclosed that Government is actively pursuing alternative ready markets in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the supply of beef and livestock products from Western Province.

Speaking in Parliament during the question for oral answer session, Peter Kapala says this follows the ban on movement of live cattle from Western province to other parts of the country, which was necessitated by the outbreak of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in some parts of the province.

Mr. Kapala acknowledged that the ban which was effected by Gazette number 497 of 1997, has denied livestock farmers of access to markets for their animals, thereby reducing income levels, hence several measures have been put in place to contain the disease.

“There is a ban on the movement of live cattle from Western Province to other parts of the country effected by Gazette number 497 of 1997. The ban was necessitated by the outbreak of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in Western Province in 1997. CBPP is highly contagious and causes death of up to 100 percent in affected herds.”

“To mitigate the spread of the disease, there are a number of interventions that have been put in place and they include animal movement restrictions, vaccinations, test and slaughter and enhance extension services provision. It is undisputable that the ban has denied the people of Western Province access to lucrative markets for live cattle and this has obviously reduced on the income they could have gotten from the sale of their animals,” Mr. Kapala stated.

Mr. Kapala added that another intervention that Government has put in place is the facilitation of the development of abattoirs and meat processors in the province for farmers to sale their animals.
He said the ban will only be lifted once the Ministry has the reassurance that the disease is under acceptable control.

“In order to mitigate against the effect of the ban of cattle movement from the province, the measures that have been undertaken include enhanced disease control such as vaccination, establishment of the Code Online and recruitment of 250 Code On guards.”

“Government is actively pursuing alternative ready markets in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the supply of beef and livestock products from Western Province. Western Province has a comparative advantage to access a more lucrative Angolan market because of its proximity to that country,” he added.

Mr. Kapala further revealed that his Ministry has managed to restock 364 of cattle for farmers who lost their livestock due to the CBBP in the last 5 years, with 164 cattle being restocked in 2024 alone.

“My Ministry will periodically review the disease situation in the province and the House will be updated accordingly.”

“Additionally, My Ministry is reviewing the Gazette Number 497 of 1997 to conclusively establish its appropriateness considering the passage of time,” Mr. Kapala said.

He said Government has engaged a consultant to deal with feasibility of the code online and reviews will depend on report that will be submitted by the consultant.

Mr. Kapala was responding to Kalabo Member of Parliament, Chinga Miyutu, who wanted to know whether there is a ban on the movement of cattle from Western Province to other parts of the country, and if so, why the ban was effected and when it will be lifted.