US and Namibia explore cooperation in livestock genetics

The delegation includes officials from the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service and the US Livestock Genetics Export organization. Hosted by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia in partnership with the Namibia Stud Breeders Association, the three-day visit involves tours of stud breeding farms near Windhoek to learn about Namibia's livestock breeding industry and genetic resources. The visit will conclude with a business-to-business networking session in Windhoek, where discussions will focus on potential cooperation in the import and export of livestock genetic material.

This initiative comes as Namibian stud breeders face challenges in accessing superior livestock genetics due to the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in South Africa. The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia identifies the US, along with Australia, as alternative sources for high-quality livestock genetics for Namibian breeders.