The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) is overseeing the implementation of regulations under the Animal Health Act 1 of 2011, which requires the compulsory tagging and registration of animals on the NamLITS System.

Under the above Act, DVS is mainly focusing on Regulation 20 titled ‘Identification of Cattle’, Regulation 28, which addresses ‘Prescribed Animals to be Registered on a Central Database’, and Section 30 of the Act, which recommends the keeping of a prescribed animal register in a neat and legible form. The register should be kept up to date for at least 10 years after the last date of entry.

Furthermore, livestock producers may only use approved identification devices and such identification devices will be approved based on quality and efficiency tagging of livestock as required by law.

The regulations also authorise the Minister of Agriculture Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) to designate a person/entity for the administration and distribution of identification devices. The minister appointed the Meat Board of Namibia as the administrator and distributor of cattle identification tags for areas South of the Veterinary Cordon Fence while the ministry is facilitating in the areas North of the Veterinary Cordon Fence. 

DVS, through the MAWLR, will communicate the enforcement date to all industry role players in due course.