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South Africa has launched its first locally produced foot-and-mouth vaccine in 20 years to tackle the country’s worst outbreak in recent history. The highly contagious disease primarily affects cattle, causing painful mouth and hoof blisters and reducing livestock productivity.
Developed by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the vaccine aims to cover 80% of South Africa’s 12-million-strong national herd, including 7.2 million cattle on commercial farms. The ARC plans to supply 20,000 doses per week starting March 2026, increasing to 200,000 doses weekly by 2027.
Previously, South Africa relied on imports from countries including Botswana, Argentina, and Turkey due to limited local manufacturing capacity. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said the initiative will strengthen the nation’s “vaccine sovereignty” against foot-and-mouth disease.
Farmers have criticized the government’s response to the outbreak as slow and inadequate, with some groups threatening legal action.
