Latest news with #FMD
The South African
14 hours ago
- Health
- The South African
SA pushes local foot and mouth vaccine after R72m spend
South Africa has spent over R72 million on about 900 000 doses of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines since March this year. The government is now focusing on manufacturing vaccines locally to respond more quickly to outbreaks and protect agricultural stakeholders from severe economic losses. The Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). The University of Pretoria and Onderstepoort Biological Products are leading a two-day Foot and Mouth Indaba. The gathering aims to develop long-lasting solutions to prevent future outbreaks and reduce dependence on costly imports. Karan Beef, one of South Africa's largest beef producers, just reopened after the outbreak forced it to halt operations, resulting in heavy financial losses. Speaking with SABC News , Dr Dirk Verwoerd, senior veterinarian at Karan Beef, said, 'We closed all three feedlots for two months. That caused severe economic destruction.' Verwoerd stressed that readily available and effective vaccines could have prevented the crisis. 'You have to have strategic vaccines and enough of them,' he added. The outbreak, which began in 2021, spread rapidly across several provinces, driving up demand for vaccines. South Africa currently depends on imports from countries like Botswana, a situation that experts describe as unsustainable and expensive. ARC President and CEO Dr Litha Magingxa confirmed that researchers are close to finalising a locally developed vaccine. 'South Africa has made great progress in vaccine development. We have a vaccine that's now being registered, and we are finalising some of the remaining trials,' said Magingxa. The government has urged the private sector to provide stronger financial backing to speed up the production of locally manufactured vaccines. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
a day ago
- Health
- IOL News
South Africa's livestock industry under siege: Steenhuisen's call for urgent reforms
Minister John Steenhuisen delivers the opening address at the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Indaba, outlining urgent reforms to strengthen South Africa's livestock disease response system. Image: File In a hard-hitting address at the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Indaba on Monday, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen painted a stark picture of South Africa's livestock industry under siege, not just from disease outbreaks but from a 'broken system' plagued by policy failure, institutional fatigue and outdated response models. Speaking to a packed venue of scientists, veterinarians, agricultural leaders and government officials, Steenhuisen warned that if the country continues with its current fragmented approach, it will remain vulnerable to future outbreaks and economic devastation. 'What we saw was a response system stretched to its limits, with breakdowns in communication, severe delays in vaccine availability, confusion over movement controls, and an alarming lack of readiness at several levels of government,' said Steenhuisen. 'Farmers were unsure of the measures. Provinces were uncertain of the protocols. And while the virus spread, trust in the state's capacity to respond continued to erode.' The minister identified four urgent areas of reform: regionalisation, vaccine security, infrastructure development, and investment in research and development. He announced the appointment of senior veterinarians Dr Emily Mogajane and Dr Nomsa Mnisi to lead the development of a national regionalisation framework that will define disease control zones, improve provincial coordination, and align with constitutional mandates. 'The failure to regionalise is not due to a lack of veterinary science. It is due to a lack of institutional coordination, legal clarity and capacity,' he said, emphasising that trade partners penalised the entire country despite outbreaks being limited to specific zones. Addressing vaccine shortages, Steenhuisen called for private sector co-investment in a national vaccine bank. 'We were compelled to import vaccines from Botswana just to mount even a partial response. This is unsustainable,' he said. 'If you want predictability, you must also invest.' Infrastructure was also in the spotlight, particularly in FMD protection zones. Steenhuisen announced new fiscal allocations to build local feedlots and abattoirs in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, aiming to curb illegal livestock movement that undermines disease control. 'These facilities will provide alternatives to illicit trade. They will create rural jobs,' he said. Looking ahead, the minister underscored the importance of animal science and climate resilience. 'We must elevate the Agricultural Research Council to the same level as its international counterparts,' he said, proposing partnerships with institutions like the University of Pretoria's Biosecurity Hub and leveraging statutory levies for R&D. But the message was not only one of critique, it was a rallying cry for unity and action. 'This Indaba is not about apportioning blame. It is about fixing what has gone wrong,' Steenhuisen said. 'We must break the cycle of reactive containment and move toward proactive, coordinated disease management.' IOL News
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Steenhuisen calls for a robust strategy to combat Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak
This comes as the agricultural industry is reeling from the economic toll of the ongoing FMD outbreak, with losses that run into hundreds of millions of rand and threatened food security. Image: Neo Ntsoma/Independent Newspapers Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has decried the country's level of preparedness to deal with the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). This comes as the agricultural industry is reeling from the economic toll of the ongoing FMD outbreak, with losses that run into hundreds of millions of rand and threatened food security. Speaking at the FMD Indaba on Monday, Steenhuisen said the disease has brought sobering lessons to light, exposing weaknesses in the response system during the most recent outbreak. 'What we saw was a response system stretched to its limits, with breakdowns in communication, severe delays in vaccine availability, confusion over movement controls, and an alarming lack of readiness at several levels of government. Farmers were unsure of the measures. Provinces were uncertain of the protocols. And while the virus spread, trust in the State's capacity to respond continued to erode,' Steenhuisen said. 'One of the most damaging consequences of this outbreak was our inability to contain the economic fallout. Because South Africa has no functional regionalisation framework, the entire country was penalised through the eyes of our trading partners, despite the outbreak being localised to specific zones. Exports of cloven-hoofed animals, and their products, were suspended or slowed. Jobs were lost. And the reputational damage to our animal health system is one that will take time, and action, to repair. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The core lesson is this: we cannot continue managing FMD outbreaks with outdated structures and fragmented authority, hoping that a patchwork of short-term measures will deliver long-term stability. We need an innovative approach––one that is science-based, constitutionally aligned, and practically implementable.' As a result, Steenhuisen said the industry must urgently and properly regionalise its disease control framework. Steenhuisen said every credible trading nation acknowledges that a localized outbreak should not lead to sweeping restrictions across an entire country yet South Africa lags in establishing, certifying, and maintaining disease control zones that align with international standards. 'Let me be clear: the failure to regionalise is not due to a lack of veterinary science. It is due to a lack of institutional coordination, legal clarity and capacity,' he said. 'To address this, I have appointed two senior veterinarians, Dr Emily Mogajane and Dr Nomsa Mnisi with extensive field, government and international trade experience to lead the development of a comprehensive national regionalisation framework.' Steenhuisen said another glaring issue during the outbreak was the lack of vaccine availability. With the national FMD vaccine bank depleted, South Africa was forced to import vaccines from Botswana, underscoring a system that is not sustainable given our livestock footprint and export ambitions. Steenhuisen said the government was stabilising Onderstepoort Biological Products, the leading distributor of livestock vaccines, but that will take time thus vaccine security requires private sector partnership. 'We are calling on the livestock industry, especially the red meat, dairy and game sectors, to begin co-financing vaccine procurement,' Steenhuisen said. 'This does not mean you will manage the vaccines or the cold chains. But it does mean that, like in other agro-industries, we establish structured partnerships that ensure we are not caught unprepared again.' Furthermore, Steenhuisen said infrastructure deficits within the protection zones have hindered effective movement control. He said animals are often moved illegally due to the absence of local abattoirs or feedlots, complicating the enforcement of necessary regulations. As a result, he said funding will be allocated this year to support the establishment of feedlots and abattoirs within the protection zones, predominantly in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga, creating rural jobs and aiding the enforcement of FMD control measures. To combat the spread of animal diseases and address the growing challenges of climate change, Steenhuisen said investment in scientific research and development was essential. Steenhuisen said initiatives were underway to collaborate with the National Agricultural Marketing Council to earmark a portion of statutory levies for research targeting both animal health and climate resilience. He also said the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) was poised for a resurgence, having recently achieved a surplus, signalling the potential for a renewed focus on core scientific capabilities. Strategic partnerships with institutions such as the University of Pretoria's Biosecurity Hub are set to elevate South Africa's research ecosystem to meet both biosecurity and climate challenges, fostering a more resilient agricultural sector. 'To ensure that these outcomes of this Indaba are not just aspirational but actionable, I will be appointing a dedicated team immediately after this gathering to consolidate the proposals and insights shared here today,' he said. 'This team will be tasked with finalising a practical, time-bound operational plan, one that reflects both the urgency of our challenge and the collective wisdom in this room. That plan will be presented to me within a defined timeframe and will serve as the blueprint for our implementation going forward.' BUSINESS REPORT
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Foot and mouth threatens KZN dairy farmers
The KZN dairy industry is on high alert following the widespread outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the province. The KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has pledged to work closely with dairy farmers to reduce the impact after five districts – King Cetshwayo, uMkhanyakude, Zululand, uMzinyathi and Amajuba – were identified as hotspots. The disease already threatens the livelihoods of beef farmers, with dairy farmers concerned as the department investigates recent cases in dairy herds, including vaccinated herds in uMzinyathi and uThukela. ALSO READ: Spike in hand, foot and mouth disease cases During a visit to Orange Grove Dairy in Dundee, Agriculture MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said KZN is home to 16 major dairy factories, including Clover Industries Limited. This makes the province one of the country's leading milk producers, accounting for about 30 per cent of all raw milk produced. 'The department is investigating FMD cases in three dairy farms in uThukela and uMzinyathi districts. Clinical signs of FMD have been observed on these farms, prompting industry stakeholders to plan a way forward,' said Mthethwa. In 2021, the FMD outbreak affected communal and commercial beef farmers. While dairy farms have been unaffected, veterinary services, however, have begun investigations following signs of the disease. Since the start of vaccinations in 2022, over 700 000 cattle in the province have been vaccinated, including 24 000 in uMzinyathi District. 'We are promoting partnerships with all stakeholders to tackle the disease. As part of our containment measures, we have issued veterinary movement permits. 'We are pleased to report a high level of compliance among farmers, which has minimised the impact of the disease,' said Mthethwa. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Agriculture minister calls for private sector partnership to combat foot-and-mouth disease crisis
South Africa's vibrant and diversified agricultural sector faces many challenges including climate change and trade wars, and it can't afford own goals stemming from a lack of vaccines. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has called on the private sector to help finance the procurement of crucial vaccines to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) among cattle and to address other biosecurity concerns that threaten South Africa's agricultural sector. Last week, the Department of Agriculture reported a new FMD outbreak in the Free State, bringing the total to 270 across five provinces in South Africa — a state of affairs that has seen export bans imposed by trading partners and put individual operators in jeopardy, delivering a hammer blow to the livestock sector. In his prepared opening remarks on Monday, 21 July 2025 at an FMD Indaba organised by the department, Steenhuisen noted that 'vaccine availability' was a 'crucial area where the system broke down during the recent outbreak'. 'The national FMD vaccine bank was depleted… As a result, we were compelled to import vaccines from Botswana to mount even a partial response.' Botswana, where cattle are venerated and the commercial livestock sector plays a significant role in the economy, was prepared. South Africa by unflattering contrast got caught with its pants down in the kraal. The stench from this steaming pile of manure leads straight to Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), the state-run national vaccine facility that was once state of the art but has, in recent years, become another example of state failure. 'We are calling on the livestock industry, especially the red meat, dairy and game sectors, to begin cofinancing vaccine procurement. This does not mean you will manage the vaccines or the cold chains. But it does mean that, like in other agro-industries, we establish structured partnerships that ensure we are not caught unprepared again,' Steenhuisen said. 'The time has come to build a nationally managed but jointly funded vaccine bank, not only for FMD, but for lumpy skin disease, brucellosis, Rift Valley Fever, and all other controlled diseases affecting trade and production.' This echoes other initiatives by the government to involve the private sector in partnerships to address the many challenges undermining South Africa's slow-growth economy. The minister also said that Onderstepoort Biological Products was 'stabilising' (whatever that means) — and that he had appointed two senior veterinarians, Dr Emily Mogajane and Dr Nomsa Mnisi, to develop 'a comprehensive national regionalisation framework'. 'Every credible trading nation in the world understands the principle of regionalisation, that an outbreak in one part of a country should not result in blanket trade restrictions for the entire nation. However, South Africa remains woefully behind in establishing, certifying and maintaining disease control zones that can be recognised by our international partners,' Steenhuisen said. 'Let me be clear: the failure to regionalise is not due to a lack of veterinary science. It is due to a lack of institutional coordination, legal clarity and capacity.' What this means for you There have been concerns that the outbreaks will push up meat prices, bucking the general trend of cooling food inflation. But the export bans are also seen as boosting domestic supplies, which should contain prices. Your braai might just be more affordable than it was two months ago. Having a reliable source of vaccines is in the industry's best interests and it could bring capital to the state's cash-strapped table. Vaccines are absolutely crucial for containing outbreaks of animal disease. For consumers, FMD is not a food safety concern. Other measures outlined in his remarks included a proposal to earmark a portion of statutory levels for research and development. South Africa's vibrant and diversified agricultural sector faces many challenges including climate change and trade wars, and it can't afford its own goals stemming from a lack of vaccines and the certification and isolation of disease control zones. DM
