N West moves to digital livestock identification, traceability system

• Published date: 20 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The North West Province will soon upgrade the paper-based system of tracing animals to a modern and computerised livestock identification and traceability system (LITS).

North West Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Desbo Mohono, said this is in an effort to align the agricultural sector of the province with the developments in technologies globally.

LITS is a national IT database system that will be used to trace animals and animal products from farm to fork/plate.

Tabling the department's Budget Vote at the Provincial Legislature on Thursday, Mohono said LITS is a system that traces not only origin of animals, but also chemicals that animals have been subjected to.

She noted that the system has a great recompense to use 'in that it helps disease control'.

'With this technology, one can prevent or know ahead of time the disease status of animals that are allowed to come into the province. The system can also significantly reduce response time during animal disease outbreak by helping to contain the introduction and spread of contagious diseases.

'Introduction of LITS technologies within the agricultural supply chain promises not only increased efficiencies through enhanced data management and more robust traceability, but also enhanced food safety protocols,' Mohono said.

Mohono also highlighted that the use of LITS will open up exotic markets for farmers that were previously closed due to lack of tracing, and identifying the origin of animals and animal products by the farm where elementary activities can be accounted for.

She added that the system would help to monitor the use of banned substances and antibiotics.

'For all of these reasons, introduction of this system will benefit all animal and food producers and processors. The process has started wherein operators are being registered in the national database.

'This will be followed by registering farms and facilities before individual animals are registered. The system is expected to provide information on animals and animal products and a reliable monitoring mechanism that will strengthen government's regulatory function in the livestock sub-sector,' Mohono explained.

Mohono further announced that the department would embark on a process of digitising administration...