Small scale farmers in the Eastern Cape have registered their frustration about inaccessible foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccines. The farmers say they have been crying for help from the Department of Agriculture but with no result.

[Media Statement]
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) confirms the release of 20 000 doses of locally produced Foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine to support ongoing vaccination efforts and strengthen animal health across the country.

https://t.co/wKtvaR6Apx… pic.twitter.com/xv0GEORDIW

— National Department of Agriculture (@DOAgov_ZA) April 1, 2026

Small scale farmers spokesperson, Bantubonke Makeleni, says the prioritisation of commercial farmers for vaccination undermines the small-scale farmers contribution in the rural economy.

“We are being sidelined as small scale farmers and clearly our contribution have been forgotten.”

The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture says a proactive plan to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease is being implemented with more than 3 million herd of cattle in the province expected to get the vaccine.

Provincial Agriculture Department Spokesperson, Atule Joka, says 300 000 doses have been rolled out to the province and 3 000 cattle in the Mnquma Municipality have been vaccinated thus far.

“When vaccine doses were received from the national department, we wanted to prioritise those bordering areas even inwards to hotspots areas, as well as to dairy farming and beef cattle farming to try and preserve and contain jobs. We also want to enhance the preservation of food security as well as to maintain the reproduction as well as beef cattle production. We then moved to the communal to make sure that we mitigate the spread throughout the province.”

VIDEO | Farmers frustrated over inaccessible vaccine

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