By Levy Masiteng
Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has said the first batch of one million high-potency Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina is scheduled to arrive in South Africa this weekend, with a further five million doses expected in March.
The department said the vaccines form a key part of its strategy to protect the nation’s herd of over 14 million cattle and to work toward FMD-free status.
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In addition to the Argentine supply, South Africa has already received vaccines from other sources, including the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), which has delivered two million doses since the recent outbreak and continues to provide monthly supplies. Dollvet in Turkey, through local agent Dunevax, also contributes to the national vaccine stock.
Locally, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) produced 12,900 FMD vaccines, the first locally produced doses in over 20 years, on 6 February.
The department said ARC plans to scale production from 20,000 per week to 200,000 per week in 2027.
“Our farmers are the providers of our food and the backbone of our economy, bringing essential foreign currency into the country. In these tough times, we all need to be working together. Every South African’s support is vital to help our farmers win this war against FMD. By following movement controls and biosecurity protocols, we protect the livelihoods of the entire nation,” Steenhuisen said.
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South Africa has reported 836 open FMD outbreaks across the country, with 27 closed outbreaks, based on figures reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as of 16 February.
The provinces with the highest number of open cases are Free State (245), KwaZulu-Natal (202) and Gauteng (188).
“This vaccination roll-out marks the beginning of restoring stability to the livestock sector and rebuilding confidence in our animal-health system. If each role-player does their part, whether farmers, veterinarians, transporters, or consumers, we will regain control and move steadily toward FMD-free status with vaccination,” Steenhuisen said.