The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has entered a formal partnership with the private sector to scale up the production of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine. The initiative, announced on 22 September 2026, aims to localise the manufacturing process and reduce South Africa’s reliance on imported veterinary supplies.
As part of the agreement, the ARC will collaborate with the private company Afrivet to commercialise and distribute the vaccine technology developed in the council’s laboratories. By transitioning from a reliance on external suppliers to domestic production, the government expects to secure a more consistent supply chain for local farmers.
This partnership is a significant milestone in our efforts to ensure food security and protect our livestock industry from the devastating effects of Foot-and-Mouth Disease.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease remains a major threat to the South African livestock industry, frequently forcing the closure of export markets and resulting in severe financial losses for producers. Historically, intermittent outbreaks have highlighted vulnerabilities in the national vaccine reserve, often exacerbated by slow international procurement processes.
This partnership is designed to improve the country’s biosecurity resilience. By centralising production capabilities within South Africa, the initiative hopes to mitigate the economic risks faced by the agricultural sector during regional outbreaks.
Specific production capacity targets for the first 12 months remain unconfirmed, as official statements from both the ARC and the private partner have yet to detail annual output goals. I will check for updates on production timelines and rollout schedules at the next available briefing.