Africa-Press – Botswana. Okavango District Councillors want Abylyomma variegatum Fabricius (Bont Tick) to be declared a disaster.
The councillors made the plea during a full council meeting recently, further requesting the Minister of Agriculture to address the council on the tick, which was adversely affecting farmers in the area.
Councillor Boipuso Mangurunga of Seronga/Gunotsoga said government should declare Bont Tick a pandemic, as it was not only highly contagious, but continued to spread in the Okavango area.
Mr Mangurunga wondered why there were no livestock movement restrictions to guard against the tick spreading to not yet affected areas.
Councillor for Kauxwi/ Xhakao Mr Television France lamented the inaction, though the tick had long been identified in their region.
Gumare/Tubu South councillor, Mr Keobinetse Matenanga appreciated the efforts by the Department of Veterinary Services in the management of the problem, which dates back to 2015, but joined the voices seeking audience with the minister.
In response, North West District agricultural coordinator, Mr Onkemetse Mathemabe said government had decided to sensitise farmers on the Bont Tick and stressed the need for regular dipping with proper amounts of chemicals to manage it.
Meanwhile, principal veterinary officer based in Shakawe, Mr Emmanuel Ramokwena had earlier explained that the tropical Bont tick, a three host tick that originated in Africa, was first identified in the Okavango District in the Tubu/Gumare area in 2015.
He said it then spread to the Beetsha/Etsha area, coupled with Dermatophylosis (Senkobo), a skin disease caused by bacteria.
Mr Ramokwena said from mid-January this year, the department assisted farmers by dipping livestock weekly in all affected crushes, adding that treatment of dermatophylosis was repeated every 72 hours until the animals showed signs of recovery.
He said about 426 farmers had been trained on how to manage the Bont tick in all the affected areas in Okavango so far, adding that the department would continue to capacitate farmers through training and demonstrations at crushes on dipping.
He revealed that thus far, eight teams had been mobilised to carry out the exercise.
Mr Ramokwena said illegal movement of livestock, poor compliance to dipping and treatment protocols by farmers, shortage of resources such as transport and unfavourable weather conditions were some of the challenges they faced in controlling Bont Tick and Senkobo.
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