RWANDA – Livestock farmers in Rwanda’s Eastern Province are grappling with a significant loss after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that affected at least 16 farms and resulted in the slaughter of 206 cattle.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
It is a transboundary disease with a severe economic impact on livestock production and international trade. Globally, FMD circulates in 77% of livestock populations, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and parts of South America.
Common symptoms of FMD include blisters on the nose, tongue, lips, hooves, and teats, which can lead to lameness and a reluctance to eat.
Controlling this disease remains a priority for Rwanda’s agricultural authorities as they continue their vaccination and testing efforts to protect the nation’s livestock.
Authorities in Rwanda have launched efforts to contain the disease and prevent its spread beyond the affected regions that include Cyamunyana and Kirebe, located in the Rwimiyaga sector of Nyagatare district.
Fabrice Ndayisenga, head of the Department of Animal Resources Research and Technology Transfer at the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), told Rwanda Today that the outbreak is currently confined to these farms, and the government is working hard to control it.
“Since the outbreak, we have vaccinated over 43,000 cattle. Unfortunately, the disease was detected in 206 animals, which we had to slaughter to prevent further transmission,” Ndayisenga said.
RAB has implemented additional biosecurity measures, including establishing a footbath in Rwimiyaga to disinfect animals. Authorities have also imposed a quarantine on cattle movement and slaughter in affected areas. Sampling efforts have been ramped up, with 1,500 samples taken for testing so far.
Cross-border movement a major concern
Ndayisenga linked the outbreak to porous borders that facilitate illegal movement of cattle between Rwanda and its neighbouring countries, particularly Tanzania and Uganda.
He cited the difficulty of enforcing animal movement restrictions in the border districts, making the region susceptible to disease outbreaks.
“This illegal movement of cattle is hard to control. We conduct night patrols and enforce movement policies, but farmers still manage to move cattle through the porous borders,” Ndayisenga explained.
Previous outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in areas like Musheri, Tabagwe, and Matimba have also been attributed to unchecked cross-border movements of infected cattle from Uganda.
In response, authorities have vaccinated and sprayed animals in all border communities to mitigate the spread.
While the government’s strict approach, including the slaughtering of infected animals and the halting of milk supply from affected areas, has been instrumental in controlling the spread of FMD, farmers in Eastern Province have expressed concerns over the economic losses they face.
Many argue that slaughtering all infected animals, as opposed to treating them, is excessively harsh.
Under Rwanda’s FMD policy, infected animals must be culled to stop the disease’s spread, even though FMD-infected meat is safe for human consumption. This contrasts with other diseases, such as Rift Valley fever, which pose more significant public health risks.
In addition to controlling FMD, the Rwanda Agriculture Board is continuing its efforts to manage the spread of Rift Valley fever, which had an outbreak in the country last year.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE
