The Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF), also referred to as the “Red Line”, was erected in 1896 as a pragmatic disease surveillance and exclusion fence separating northern and central Namibia to southern Namibia.

The VCF, as it is referred to for the purpose of this article due to the political and historical connotations associated with the term “Red Line”, remains a vital element to the Meatco business and the entire livestock industry.

The VCF’s main purpose is to control animal and meat movement from the north to the south of Namibia. It furthermore, ensures the marketing of animals from the South of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (SVCF) with a different disease status as those from the NCA.

The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), under the Ministry of Agriculture Water, and Forestry (MAWF) guarantees the above-mentioned controls and other routine and physical maintenance of the VCF, as it has excluded many northern communal farmers from the lucrative beef markets that farmers from the central and southern parts of Namibia currently enjoy.

From a Meatco’s standpoint, the VCF is a fundamental aspect for the export business as it allows for complete adherence and compliance to protocols and regulations required by major international clients like the European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK) and Norway.

In conclusion, the MAWF together with industry players should formulate long-term approaches and strategies to ensure that the NCA and SVCF are declared green zones at international level.

This will allow all Namibian farmers to prosper through the marketing of good quality meat countrywide while safeguarding the sustainability of Meatco and the entire meat industry.