Agriculture · National
Botswana has pledged 100,000 doses of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine to Lesotho as the country works to contain its first recorded FMD outbreak, which was confirmed in Butha-Buthe District in February 2026.
Lemohang Botsane
Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko announced that Botswana will donate 100,000 doses of Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine to Lesotho during the first meeting of the Lesotho-Botswana Bi-National Commission, held in Gaborone. The announcement was made public by the Office of the Government Spokesperson.
Lesotho confirmed its first FMD outbreak in Butha-Buthe District in February 2026. Veterinary and government teams have been working to prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the country since.
The Government of Lesotho says the vaccine donation will help protect livestock and support farmers whose livelihoods depend on animals. Officials are urging livestock owners to cooperate with vaccination teams, follow advice from veterinary officers, and report signs of illness early.
Botswana’s President Boko announced the 100,000-dose donation at the first sitting of the Lesotho-Botswana Bi-National Commission in Gaborone.
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed livestock including cattle, sheep and goats. Lesotho’s outbreak is the first the country has recorded.
