SOUTH AFRICA has introduced a nationwide voluntary vaccination scheme aimed at strengthening control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a move that carries significant implications for Zimbabwe’s southern livestock-producing regions.
The Routine Vaccination Scheme for foot-and-mouth disease was published in the Government Gazette earlier this month under the Animal Diseases Act of 1984 by South African Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen.
According to the policy, the scheme seeks to “enable animal owners to mitigate against the impact of FMD by facilitating voluntary vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease under the oversight of State veterinary services.”
It further states that the programme is intended to “facilitate continued business operations for participants to ensure food security and trade opportunities.”
Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most contagious livestock diseases affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and pigs. Outbreaks often result in livestock movement restrictions, trade disruptions and heavy economic losses for farmers.
Zimbabwe has experienced repeated FMD outbreaks in several provinces in recent years, particularly in border districts where animal movement between countries remains difficult to control.
Matabeleland South provincial veterinary director Enat Mdlongwa said vaccination efforts were critical in safeguarding cattle-dependent communities in the province. He commended veterinary teams for their commitment, including working through weekends to ensure the campaign’s success.
Livestock production remains a major source of income and food security for many rural households in Matabeleland South. However, previous FMD outbreaks have disrupted cattle sales, beef exports, and cross-border trade.
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South Africa’s latest intervention is expected to increase focus on livestock traceability, disease surveillance and cross-border veterinary co-operation within the region.
Under the scheme, all participating livestock owners must ensure animals are permanently identified through branding, tattoos or ear tags and registered in a recognised traceability system.
The gazette defines a traceability system as one that enables “the identification and tracking of animals throughout their entire life cycle — from birth, through movements and ownership changes, to slaughter or export.”
The policy also establishes a specialised committee on routine FMD vaccination, composed of veterinary experts, government officials, and representatives from the agricultural sector, including the Agricultural Research Council and the University of Pretoria.
The committee will oversee implementation, review laboratory results and advise authorities on vaccine requirements and participation certificates.
Although participation in the programme is voluntary, the South African government warned that failure to comply with scheme conditions can result in cancellation of participation certificate after a 14-day corrective period.
The policy further states that vaccine and vaccination costs will be borne by animal owners, although the government may consider subsidies, public funding support and cost-sharing arrangements to encourage wider participation.
For Zimbabwe, veterinary authorities and livestock producers are expected to closely monitor the scheme as regional governments intensify efforts to protect food security, livestock industries and export markets from recurring FMD outbreaks.
Recently, the Zimbabwe and Botswana governments launched a joint mass vaccination campaign targeting FMD in Matabeleland South province to protect livestock and rural livelihoods.
The initiative followed reports of FMD detection in border areas between Zimbabwe and Botswana earlier this year.
The Matabeleland South Department of Veterinary Services said at least 100 000 cattle were targeted under the programme, which covers Mangwe, Gwanda, Bulilima and Matobo districts.
Zimbabwe’s chief veterinary officer, Pious Makaya, recently commended Botswana for donating 100 000 vaccine doses to support the initiative, saying it will help to protect thousands of rural families in Matabeleland South from the disease’s impact.
