South Africa faces ongoing foot-and-mouth disease challenges with limited vaccine access, while Brazil's eradication model offers potential strategies. Farmers in KwaZulu-Natal express frustration over shortages affecting dairy operations. A recent seminar highlighted Brazil's zoned approach to disease control.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is implementing a strategy to curb foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks and ensure vaccine availability, but farmers and veterinarians remain skeptical about preventing future incidents. The Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) emphasizes the need for a reliable, diversified vaccine supply chain, as the current reliance on a single manufacturer exposes weaknesses in South Africa’s animal health system.
Luke Gibbs, chairperson of the MPO and a dairy farmer, called for decisive action, regulatory clarity, and a transparent national plan to stabilize FMD management and protect the dairy industry, food security, and rural livelihoods. Farmers in areas like Ixopo, Creighton, and Howick report growing frustration as outbreaks approach without vaccine access.
The department has allocated vaccines to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and plans distribution based on provincial needs. On 17 September 2025, a meeting at Red Meat Industry Services informed industries they could purchase vaccines, but the dairy sector declined due to funding issues. In October, the MPO secured 50,000 doses from the Botswana Vaccine Institute, though this is insufficient for over 220,000 dairy cows in the province.
Minister John Steenhuisen announced a mass vaccination programme in late November 2025, prioritizing high-risk sectors like dairy and feedlots. With a national cattle herd of about 14 million, only two million doses are expected by February 2026. The MPO has proposed a “Vaccinate to live” protocol for preventive vaccination, currently under review.
Gibbs highlighted operational burdens: “The uncertainty around vaccine availability and the rapid spread of FMD in KwaZulu-Natal have placed enormous pressure on day-to-day operations.” The MPO requests include fast-tracking the Dollvet vaccine import, a national stock inventory, and submission of FMD strains to the Pirbright Institute.
Collaboration occurs through the Value Chain Round Table, co-chaired by Dewald Olivier and Dr Madime Mokoena. On 10 December 2025, Allan Alvarenga from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture briefed experts in Pretoria on eradication strategies. Ricardo Santin, president of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein, explained: “Brazil is already free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination,” using regional zoning, movement control, and surveillance to minimize trade disruptions.
FMD has driven meat prices up 12.2% in the year to November 2025, with beef steak rising 28.4%, exacerbating festive season costs.
