Durban: South Africa's fight against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has received a boost with the first batch of locally produced vaccines in over 20 years set to reach farmers soon. This as the country has resumed local FMD vaccine production.
According to South African Government News Agency, this milestone signals a shift from reactionary disease chasing to a proactive, science-led war on FMD. The goal is to reclaim South Africa's FMD-free status from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), using locally produced vaccines through collaboration between government, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), the Ministry of Agriculture said.
This development comes as the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, visited the ARC Onderstepoort Veterinary Research facility to witness the finalisation of the first batch of locally produced Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines. President and CEO of the ARC, Dr. Litha Magingxa, handed over the first batch of locally produced vaccines.
The visit followed the completion and registration of the vaccines by ARC scientists and technical experts, developed using local infrastructure and expertise. The vaccine is registered as a stock remedy under Act 36 of 1947 and complies with the required quality, safety, and efficacy standards.
Minister Steenhuisen acknowledged the severe emotional and financial toll the current FMD outbreaks have taken on the agricultural community. He expressed empathy and assured farmers that assistance is on the way, emphasizing the commitment to eradicating the disease completely from farms and communities.
Ageing technology and infrastructure, which were non-compliant with international Good Manufacturing Practice standards, led to South Africa ceasing production of the vaccine in 2005. However, after nearly two decades of research and modernisation, the ARC has successfully produced its first 12,900 doses using modern bioreactor technology.
The breakthrough involved identifying circulating regional strains and ensuring the vaccines provide high potency, long-lasting immunity that meets strict international biosafety standards. Between 2010 and 2018, the ARC started research within the existing facility with objectives to identify new candidate vaccine strains for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, adapt the strains to in vitro cultivation, and determine the strains' capacity to elicit protective immunity.
The process was intensive and required compliance with strict biosafety and biosecurity, safety, and good manufacturing practices, as well as regulatory compliance under the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947.
The initial distribution of this batch includes Free State (2,300 doses), Eastern Cape (2,600 doses), North West (2,000 doses), Gauteng (2,000 doses), Limpopo (2,000 doses), and Mpumalanga (2,000 doses). From March 2026, the ARC will be able to supply 20,000 doses per week of its monovalent SAT 1, SAT 2, or SAT 3 vaccine, and subsequently 200,000 monovalent doses per week from 2027.
To bridge the gap while local production scales up, the Department of Agriculture has clarified its procurement strategy to ensure a steady supply. The Department confirms it has no objection to the use of designated agents for vaccine imports, emphasizing the priority is the consistent arrival of vaccines.
The Ministry added that the department has already seen the serious risks posed by illegally imported vaccines in KwaZulu-Natal. They welcome assistance from the private sector in eradicating the disease, with private veterinarians and animal health technicians included in the vaccine rollout.
To regain FMD-free status with vaccination, South Africa must prove there has been no virus transmission for at least twelve months, requiring a strictly controlled vaccination rollout. Through the Botswana Vaccine Institute, South Africa has already acquired and administered two million vaccines to date.
The BVI will supply an additional 700,000 doses by February 2026, with further supplies in subsequent months. Biog©nesis Bag³ of Argentina will supply one million doses soon, with more expected in March 2026. The 1.5 million-dose Dollvet vaccine from Turkey is expected in February 2026, followed by additional supplies.
Local FMD strains have been sent to the Pirbright Institute in the UK for analysis. The Department has finalized a memorandum to declare a National State of Disaster, which will unlock emergency funding for mass vaccination across affected provinces.