South Africa's agricultural sector faces mounting pressure as Foot-and-Mouth Disease FMD outbreaks spread across multiple provinces, crippling the livestock industry and disrupting international trade.
In response, the Department of Agriculture has convened a high-level national indaba to devise urgent solutions.
FMD has now been detected in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Free State , leading to strict livestock movement bans. The disease has severely impacted South Africa's red meat exports, with key markets imposing restrictions.
The two-day FMD Indaba, hosted by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council ARC, the University of Pretoria, and Onderstepoort Biological Products OBP, aims to develop a long-term strategy to combat the disease.
Meanwhile, in his opening address , Agriculture Minister and DA leader John Steenhuisen delivered a stark warning, stating that the country's current approach to FMD is outdated and ineffective.