Essential resolutions from the Foot and Mouth Disease Indaba in Durban
The two-day Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Indaba held in Durban united livestock stakeholders to address FMD outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal.
Delegates voiced their determination to implement effective measures that would not only control the disease but also enhance market access for communal farmers, ensuring the resilience of the agricultural industry.
KZN Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa was optimistic that the indaba, supported by stakeholder commitment, would deliver enduring solutions to overcome industry hurdles and achieve FMD-free zonal status.
Delegates emphasised that animal movement control measures and vaccinations are complementary and should be implemented in parallel. They also urged the government to facilitate regular auctions.
This, they argued, would address the issue of communal farmers engaging in illegal livestock movement due to a lack of market access, which violates the Disaster Management Area’s (DMA) animal movement rules and restrictions.
“Alarmed by the recent escalation of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) cases springing up across the province, the summit calls upon the state and all livestock industry stakeholders to find solutions that will end the current FMD outbreak,” the department said.
The consultative indaba culminated in a series of resolutions aimed at addressing the FMD crisis. Key among these were:
- Encourages farmers, speculators, auctioneers, and citizens to adhere to livestock movement restrictions and use movement permits when moving animals from the DMA.
- Urges the Agricultural Research Council – Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI) to deposit FMD virus sequencing data in the gene bank.
- Calls for ARC-OVI to share circulating vaccine strains with vaccine manufacturers.
- Expedite efforts to authorise Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory as a second FMD diagnostic laboratory.
- Calls upon the state to urgently provide adequate FMD vaccine and ensure prophylactic vaccination of livestock in KZN.
- Urges the state to develop a protocol for market access to farmers, especially previously disadvantaged farmers in the DMA.
- Calls for tightened biosecurity on farms and properties rearing livestock and at auctions.
- Recommends follow-up studies on FMD research in KZN to assess socio-economic impact.
- Endorses the creation of a provincial FMD vaccine bank.
- Calls for the resuscitation of the provincial Joint Operational Committee.
- Urges the halt of illegal slaughtering of vaccinated or positive cattle at non-FMD-designated abattoirs.
- Urges stakeholders and farmers to report positive cases, and the state should frequently disclose the locations of these cases.
- Calls for strengthened collaboration between industry and government.
Red Meat Producers Organization (RPO) KZN Chairperson and national RPO Vice-Chairperson, Angus Williamson, viewed the indaba as a good exercise, but believes it needs refinement to clarify what is achievable.
He reiterated that the biggest problem is uncontrolled illegal livestock movement, adding that until that changes, FMD will continue to travel throughout the country.
“There are two things: the illegal movement of livestock is what has spread foot and mouth. The other reason foot and mouth is spread is the lack of market access. I said it in my presentation on Friday,” Williamson said.
“Whether he’s (farmer) in the DMA and he needs income to put food on the table, they are going to make a plan to move that livestock, and we’ve said that since 2021. Until that happens, foot and mouth is going to spread.”
Provincial Livestock Board Chairperson Nontobeko Mthethwa conveyed that the eradication of FMD hinges on compliance and collective action.
Mthethwa said illegal cattle transportation must stop.
She highlighted that there are people with cattle, but they do not go to dip tanks, thus affecting those who do.
“It is important that legislation is tightened. Those found illegally transporting livestock should be arrested,” Mthethwa said.
“Most importantly, if we all listen and do as prescribed, FMD could end. I think the Eastern Cape was able to end FMD because they followed the rules. If we could do the same, we would succeed even though it would take time.”
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za