Roodeplaat: South Africa is currently experiencing significant and ongoing challenges with widespread outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), affecting several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and, most recently, the Free State. The resurgence of the disease has resulted in livestock movement restrictions and significantly impacted the country’s red meat trade on international markets.

According to South African Government News Agency, in response to this escalating crisis, the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the University of Pretoria, and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), is hosting a national Foot and Mouth Disease Indaba. The two-day event, starting Monday, 21 July 2025, will take place at the ARC-VIMP Campus in Roodeplaat, northeast of Pretoria.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Deputy Minister Nokuzola Capa will lead the Indaba, which aims to bring together top veterinary scientists, agricultural experts
, and key industry stakeholders to deliberate on and develop long-term solutions to combat FMD. The disease has already inflicted damage to the multibillion-rand livestock sector and continues to threaten South Africa’s broader economy. Therefore, the Indaba presents an opportunity to unite expertise and resources to effectively eradicate this disease.

The Indaba will convene a range of multidisciplinary specialists to develop a coordinated and comprehensive approach to controlling and ultimately eradicating foot and mouth disease. The key areas of discussion will include strengthening biosecurity measures at farm level, enhancing vaccination programmes, and reinforcing animal movement controls.

The Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, emphasised its commitment to identifying and implementing sustainable solutions to FMD. The department added that the Indaba signifies an advancement in the ongoing efforts to combat the disease.

By cultivating strong partnershi
ps between government entities, academic institutions, and industry leaders, the Department of Agriculture is committed to developing precise and effective measures that will eradicate the disease and safeguard the long-term sustainability of South Africa’s agricultural sector.