With Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) becoming an escalating concern for farmers, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) will host an engagement session with local farmers in Magaliesburg on Saturday, January 17.

The meeting will take place at the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk at 12:30 and will be led by GDARD MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa. The engagement aims to address growing concerns around the spread of the disease, which has had a significant impact on farming activities in the Magaliesburg area.

“This engagement marks the first in a series of consultations by the department, aimed at developing a collaborative and co-ordinated approach to managing the surge in cases,” Ramokgopa said, adding that the department recognises the seriousness of the situation facing local farmers.

Meanwhile, agricultural bodies have warned that the country is no longer dealing with effective disease control, but rather a rapidly deepening crisis.

According to Bennie van Zyl, general manager of the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TLU SA), the speed and scale at which FMD is spreading are severely undermining farming incomes, food security and South Africa’s international market access.

Van Zyl said that while the Minister of Agriculture recently announced a technically comprehensive strategy during a media briefing on January 14, the challenge lies in the state’s lack of capacity to implement these plans effectively. He noted that farmers are losing herds, contracts and livelihoods, while the disease continues to spread.

TLU SA further raised concerns over the lack of clarity regarding the alleged R500m allocated to restore vaccine production at Onderstepoort, while private vaccine production remains restricted by regulations.

According to the union, even commercial farmers with strict biosecurity measures are currently not permitted to vaccinate their own livestock under emergency regulations.

The union is calling for the immediate release of the already developed FMD vaccine at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), as well as for decentralised vaccine production and distribution under proper oversight. It has urged the government to declare a national state of disaster, allow private sector involvement in vaccine manufacturing, and prioritise mass vaccination and strict movement control.

“This crisis is no longer only an industry problem,” Van Zyl said.

“It affects every consumer. Food security is under threat, meat prices are rising, and farmers are being forced off their land.”

TLU SA reiterated its willingness to cooperate with government efforts but stressed that decisive action, shared control and urgent implementation are essential to prevent further economic and social fallout.