Zimbabwe Imposes Nationwide Ban on Cattle Movement to Combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease

A Cow being asessed for FMD (image source)

In a swift response to a fresh Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak across parts of Gutu, Masvingo, and Chivhu, the Zimbabwean government has enacted an immediate nationwide ban on all livestock movement. Simultaneously, 300,000 vaccines have been dispatched to affected and high-risk areas.

Deputy Minister Davis Marapira emphasized the urgency, highlighting the need to ring-fence pedigree and dairy sectors to preserve herd quality and safeguard food security. Chief Director Dr. Pious Makaya stressed that this is not a precautionary measure, but essential to protect the nation’s agricultural trajectory.

FMD, a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hooved animals, causes fever and painful lesions, devastating livestock production. Neighboring South Africa has experienced crippling outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal and Free State, disrupting beef supply chains and regional trade—a cautionary tale Zimbabwe is eager to avoid.

The ban covers cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs, halting livestock auctions, farm sales, and movements between districts. Enforcement will rely on local veterinary inspectors, livestock identification systems, and community networks. Violators risk both penalties and contributing to disease spread.

Economically, the ban strains smallholder livelihoods, as livestock serve as both asset and income source. Dairy farmers face urgent fodder and cash-flow challenges. However, widescale vaccination and movement control aim to contain the outbreak before national herd expansion plans derail. Zimbabwe has set a target of 11 million cattle over the next decade; disease disruption could delay progress toward food security.

Earlier this year, Zimbabwe lifted limited bans on cloven-hoofed imports from South Africa’s low-risk provinces. This earlier flexibility underscores that the current quarantine is aggressive but likely necessary. For farmers, adaptation involves rapid vaccination compliance, cooperation with veterinary services, and contingency plans for feed and dairy distribution. For policymakers, the focus must shift to surveillance boosters, border biosecurity, and compensation frameworks to buffer communities during bans.

In an agricultural economy still rebuilding, disease responses like this test resilience. If vaccination, movement controls, and stakeholder cooperation align, Zimbabwe may stem the outbreak swiftly. If not, supply shocks and herd losses could follow. The government’s next few weeks will determine whether hoof-and-mouth becomes a setback—or a containment success.