South Africa is receiving one million doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines this weekend to combat a severe outbreak affecting the livestock sector. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced the shipment from Argentina as part of a strategy to vaccinate the national cattle herd. The move aims to restore the country's FMD-free status with vaccination amid economic losses and export restrictions.
The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak has intensified in South Africa, impacting livestock farmers, dairy operations, small stock farmers, feedlots, auction houses, abattoirs, and agribusiness suppliers. Theo Boshoff, CEO of the Agricultural Business Chamber of SA (Agbiz), noted the broad effects: “It’s having this huge ripple effect right up and down the value chain.” He added that for affected farmers, “your source of income stops very abruptly,” while animals suffer and die, taking a significant emotional toll.
Slaughter numbers declined by 5% from August to November, and beef exports dropped 26% from June to December, according to Dewald Olivier, CEO of Red Meat Industry Services. These changes have led to losses in foreign income and reduced market access.
In response, Minister John Steenhuisen announced on Tuesday that the first batch of one million high-potency vaccine doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina would arrive this weekend. This is the initial phase of an agreement, with five million more doses expected in March. Steenhuisen stated: “These vaccines are a critical component of the Department of Agriculture’s new strategy against FMD, where the national herd of over 14 million cattle will be proactively vaccinated, to ensure SA transitions to ‘FMD-free status with vaccination’.”
The outbreak escalated after South Africa lost its FMD-free status in 2019, with repeated incidences overwhelming traditional control methods like culling under the Animal Diseases Act. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared it a national disaster in his recent State of the Nation Address, describing it as “one of the worst outbreaks... damaging our economy, resulting in export bans, trade restrictions and devastation of herds.” The declaration facilitates faster government coordination without broad new regulations.
Provincially, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde oversaw vaccinating 450 cattle in Fisantekraal on 15 February, with 200,000 doses expected soon. The province seeks permission for independent vaccine procurement. In the Eastern Cape, MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe reported receiving only 2,600 doses for over three million cattle, calling it “a drop in the ocean” and requesting at least 500,000. Zambia's ban on South African exports is expected to have limited impact, per Deputy Director-General Dipepeneneng Serage, who hopes for a review post-vaccination.
Sahpra CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela emphasized: “The health of our livestock is critical to SA’s food security, economic stability and the livelihoods of our farmers.” Farmers are urged to follow movement controls and biosecurity protocols.