Abstract:
Biodiversity conservation, of which the transfrontier conservation area movement
is an integral part, and more effective livestock production/trade are pivotal to
future rural development in southern Africa. For that reason, it is imperative to
effectively ameliorate the obstacles that have impeded progress towards the
coexistence of these two sectors for more than half a century. Transboundary
animal diseases, foot and mouth disease in particular, have been and continue to
be the most important of these obstacles. Fortunately, new developments in international
sanitary standards applicable to trade in commodities and products
derived from animals are beginning to make a solution possible. However, while
progress in principle has been achieved, practical implementation remains problematic
for technical reasons, exacerbated by inconsistent attitudes towards acceptance
of non-traditional international trade standards. This paper describes the
background to this situation, progress that has been achieved in the recent past
and remaining difficulties that need to be overcome to advance towards achievement
of balanced rural development in southern Africa.
