South Africa is accelerating efforts to contain foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) as government, industry, and agricultural bodies move to expand vaccination, strengthen trade, and improve disease control.
Independent livestock group FMD Response SA has urged the government to urgently release millions of vaccine doses directly to private veterinarians, warning that delays are worsening outbreaks and threatening rural livelihoods.
Spokesperson Andrew Morphew said vaccination progress remains too slow despite expectations of large vaccine supplies. He added that greater private sector involvement is needed to speed up the rollout.
“We are expecting 14 million vaccine doses, but only about 4.4 million cattle have been vaccinated so far,” he said.
“We believe that involving private veterinarians more directly will accelerate vaccinations, improve access for farmers, and strengthen efforts to contain and ultimately eradicate the disease,” Morphew added.
In Parliament, the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture said progress is being made, with a vaccination backlog expected to be cleared by mid-June. It reported that 13.5 million doses had been ordered and 11.5 million had already been delivered from Argentina and Turkey, while laboratory capacity had been expanded in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
AgriSA said the agricultural sector recorded a record trade surplus of about R29 billion in the first quarter, driven by strong exports of grapes, citrus, and wine. However, CEO Johann Kotzé warned that ongoing outbreaks and weaker market access continue to weigh on growth.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and his Italian counterpart, Francesco Lollobrigida, signed a memorandum of understanding in Cape Town on Tuesday to boost cooperation in agriculture, agro-processing, and market access.
Photo: Supplied
