Livestock farmers lack economic resilience against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks

Cattle and livestock farmers in regions like Botswana face devastating economic losses when FMD crises occur, with no reliable buffer or alternative income streams to sustain their operations during quarantines and trade restrictions. Current agricultural models depend almost entirely on livestock sales, leaving farmers financially vulnerable when disease outbreaks force herd culling or export bans. Farmers desperately need diversified income sources or insurance mechanisms to survive multi-month economic disruptions.