B2Gold Namibia pledges N$1.6m to FMD Support Fund

B2Gold Namibia has pledged N$1.6 million to the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Support Fund, bolstering ongoing national containment and biosecurity interventions.

The financial commitment was announced by B2Gold Namibia managing director John Roos during an official handover ceremony for donations and pledges in Windhoek yesterday.

The funding arrives at a critical juncture as the country battles an FMD outbreak detected in late September 2026 within the previously FMD-free zone of the //Kharas region.

Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani commended the mining company for its timely intervention, describing B2Gold as a responsive and responsible corporate citizen.

“I wish to extend our deepest appreciation to all our donors. A special word of appreciation goes to B2Gold for their outstanding contribution of N$1.6 million toward the FMD Support Fund. This remarkable contribution reflects corporate citizenship at its finest and sends a clear message that the private sector stands shoulder to shoulder with government and the farming community in protecting one of Namibia’s most valuable economic sub-sectors,” said Zaamwani.

She added that the mine has maintained a long-standing partnership with the government to enhance economic development and livelihoods.

Since FMD cases were detected in the Karasburg district of the //Kharas region and on Kalala Island in the Zambezi region, State veterinary authorities and private stakeholders have moved swiftly to curb transmission.

Containment strategies currently deployed include intensified biosecurity protocols, active surveillance, strict movement controls, temporary veterinary checkpoints and targeted vaccination campaigns.

Zaamwani stressed that these interventions remain vital to protecting animal health, protecting rural livelihoods, ensuring food security and preserving international confidence in Namibia’s lucrative livestock value chain.

“Implementation of these strategies requires resources, partnerships and unwavering commitment. Safeguarding our livestock sub-sector is a shared national responsibility,” Zaamwani noted.

She stated that the capital injected by corporate partners will directly finance critical materials and equipment for frontline veterinary responders working to suppress the outbreak.

The FMD Support Fund of Namibia is a private-sector-led, non-profit initiative established by the country’s four national farmers’ unions to reinforce national biosecurity and complement the work of the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS).

Originally launched in February 2026 as a proactive measure, the Fund has shifted its focus to active outbreak response following the confirmation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the //Kharas and Zambezi regions.

The Fund acts as a resource mobilization mechanism to support national containment plans without replacing State mandates.

It currently manages critical response lines, including providing over N$2.2 million in biosecurity products, camping gear and surveillance kits to 30 active DVS field teams.

It has also assisted with rehabilitation efforts for strategic veterinary cordon fences and boundary containment lines and distributing multilingual educational resources and biosecurity protocols directly to farmers.

The Fund is structured with an independent, audited account and targets a first-phase goal of N$50 million.

To date, it has secured over N$15.35 million in sponsorships and pledges, backed by prominent corporate and agricultural partners.

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