The development marks a major turning point in SA’s fight against FMD, signalling a move from reactive disease management to a proactive, science‑driven national strategy.
Central to this shift is the goal of regaining the country’s FMD‑free status from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), using vaccines developed through collaboration between government, the ARC, and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP).
Speaking at the event, Steenhuisen acknowledged the heavy emotional and financial strain FMD outbreaks have placed on farming communities.
“To our farmers who have watched their livelihoods disappear before their eyes, I hear you, and I feel the weight of this hardship with you,” he said. “Help is not just coming, it is here.”
He added that his department would “stop at nothing” to eradicate the disease, emphasising that the long‑term recovery plan forms part of a focused ten‑year strategy aimed at shifting the country “from defence to offence”.
“Please do not lose faith; we are building a system that will protect your herds for generations to come,” Steenhuisen said.
Local FMD vaccine production was halted in 2005 due to outdated technology and infrastructure that no longer met international Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
After nearly two decades of research, facility upgrades, and modernisation, the ARC has now delivered 12 900 doses produced using advanced bioreactor technology. The breakthrough included identifying circulating viral strains in the region and ensuring that the new vaccines offer high potency and long‑lasting immunity while complying with strict biosafety protocols.
Between 2010 and 2018, the ARC undertook intensive research to:
- Identify new candidate vaccine strains suitable for the SADC region.
- Adapt those strains to large‑scale in vitro production in bioreactors.
- Test the strains’ ability to elicit protective immune responses.
- Determine vaccine potency and immunity duration to inform field vaccination schedules.
These 12 900 doses were produced at pilot scale as proof of concept for the new strains and technologies. Initial distribution is as follows:
- Free State: 2 300
- Eastern Cape: 2 600
- North West: 2 000
- Gauteng: 2 000
- Limpopo: 2 000
- Mpumalanga: 2 000
From March 2026, the ARC expects to supply 20 000 monovalent doses per week (SAT 1, SAT 2, or SAT 3), with capacity rising to 200 000 doses per week from 2027.
To ensure a continuous supply while local production ramps up, the Department of Agriculture has outlined its procurement strategy and moved to correct misinformation about private-sector imports.
Steenhuisen confirmed that the Department has no objection to designated import agents, such as Design Biologix (Biogénesis Bagó, Argentina) or Dunevax (Dollvet, Turkey).
“The priority is the consistent arrival of vaccines, not the procurement channel,” the Department stated.
Claims that vaccines should be provided free of charge were described as “short‑sighted and reckless”, given international norms and the risks associated with unregulated products. The Department recently encountered such risks in KwaZulu‑Natal, where illegally imported vaccines posed serious biosecurity concerns.
Officials emphasised that the private sector remains a valued partner. Industry bodies, private veterinarians, and animal health technicians have been involved from the initial FMD lekgotla through to the Ministerial Task Team and the FMD Industry Coordination Council.
The Department reaffirmed its commitment to working with all stakeholders as SA enters a new era of disease prevention and vaccine security.
–ChannelAfrica–
