RT-Engels: 04-05-2026,
South Africa seeks to achieve FMD-free status by working with a country that has successfully eliminated the disease, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has said
South Africa has signed an agreement with Brazil to help eradicate foot-and-mouth disease by 2028, focusing on vaccine supply, disease surveillance, diagnostics and biosecurity.
The move comes as the South African government faces mounting pressure and legal action over what critics have called a “lethargic” response to the animal health emergency. Meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Agriculture Minister Andre Carlos Alves de Paula, on Thursday, John Steenhuisen tapped into Brazil’s hard-won expertise.
Brazil achieved FMD-free status without vaccination from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on May 29, 2025, a historic milestone that took 64 years of rigorous policy implementation.
”By aligning with a nation that has successfully eliminated the disease, South Africa aims to achieve FMD-free status with vaccination, transforming biosecurity from a trade barrier into a bridge for economic growth,” Steenhuisen stated.
The newly adopted Action Plan for 2026-2028 mandates immediate, full implementation. South Africa will dispatch animal health experts to Brazil the week of May 19, 2026, for an intensive knowledge exchange. Following this, South Africa will host a seminar involving a high-level Brazilian delegation, including researchers and livestock farmers, to share strategies, policies, and technologies used in their decades-long fight.
Brazil’s support will cover vital technical areas, including assistance with vaccination protocols, post-vaccination monitoring, and generating field-based evidence.