Historic Vaccine Arrival Marks Turning Point in FMD Battle
South Africa has officially received its first major consignment of one million high-potency foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina. The crucial shipment arrived at O. R. Tambo International Airport on Saturday, February 21, 2026, and was formally accepted by Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen. This delivery is a significant step in the nation's intensified efforts to control a devastating FMD outbreak that has severely impacted the agricultural sector.
Minister Steenhuisen highlighted the importance of this consignment, stating that it will accelerate protection efforts in key provinces and help stabilise the livestock sector. The vaccines are intended to protect South Africa's national cattle herd, which numbers over 14 million, and are a critical component of the Department of Agriculture's new strategy to achieve 'FMD-Free Status with Vaccination'.
Widespread Outbreak and Economic Impact
The current FMD outbreak has been described as the worst in South Africa's history, affecting almost all nine provinces and prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare it a national disaster. The highly contagious viral disease, which targets cloven-hoofed animals, has caused severe economic damage, including export bans from major markets like China, trade restrictions, and significant financial and emotional strain on farmers. The economic repercussions extend beyond direct livestock losses, threatening South Africa's R80 billion livestock sector through quarantine costs and loss of export markets.
Outbreaks have been reported across the country, with high-risk regions identified in KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and North-West Province. The disease leads to reduced meat and milk production and can necessitate the culling of infected animals, causing substantial losses for farmers.
Comprehensive Vaccination Strategy and Future Supply
The arrival of the Argentine vaccines marks the first phase of an extensive rollout. An additional five million doses are expected to arrive by the end of March 2026, sourced from various international suppliers including Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina, the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), and Dollvet in Turkey (via its local agent Dunevax). The Department of Agriculture's new 10-Year Eradication Strategy aims to proactively vaccinate the national herd, with an objective to reduce outbreaks by 70% in high-risk provinces within 12 months.
In addition to international procurement, South Africa is bolstering its local vaccine production capabilities. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) produced its first batch of 12,900 locally manufactured FMD vaccines on February 6, 2026, marking the first such production in over two decades. The ARC has committed to scaling up production to 20,000 doses per week and further increasing it to 200,000 doses per week by 2027.
Reopening Global Markets
Achieving 'FMD-Free Status with Vaccination' is considered vital for reopening lucrative global export markets and ensuring the long-term biosecurity of South Africa's farming sector. Minister Steenhuisen emphasized that this development represents a 'victory' for the agricultural sector and a major step towards regaining access to international red meat markets, which have been closed due to the country's FMD status.
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