South Africa Expands Fight Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease

South Africa is stepping up efforts to control Foot-and-Mouth Disease and protect its livestock industry. The move is aimed at safeguarding agricultural production and maintaining access to key export markets.

Agricultural exports rose by seven percent over the past year. The sector also recorded a trade surplus of about 7.3 billion dollars in 2025, representing an 18 percent increase from the previous year. The citrus industry posted one of its strongest export seasons on record.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says South Africa is backing stronger regional cooperation on animal health following a recent Southern African Development Community, SADC, meeting in Zimbabwe. Ministers and livestock experts agreed to prioritise a regional framework for Foot-and-Mouth Disease control.

The proposed framework will support coordinated vaccination campaigns, improved disease surveillance, stronger biosecurity measures and cross-border cooperation. The goal is to limit the spread of disease while protecting livestock trade across the region.

At home, the government is expanding laboratory capacity, recruiting more veterinary staff and improving provincial coordination. A new public-private biosecurity framework is expected to be launched in the coming weeks to strengthen disease preparedness and response efforts.