Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has concluded a working visit to Argentina, securing agreements to strengthen South Africa’s response to foot and mouth disease and ensure continued vaccine supply.
The visit, which ended on Wednesday, centred on a meeting with Argentina’s secretary of agriculture, livestock and fisheries, Sergio Iraeta, resulting in a commitment to a cooperation framework under the 2026-2028 FMD Work Plan.
South Africa has already secured and distributed 2,5 million doses of FMD vaccines from Biogénesis Bagó, including one million doses of bivalent SAT-1 and SAT-2 vaccines and 1,5 million doses of trivalent SAT-1, SAT-2 and SAT-3 vaccines.
During the visit, the delegation inspected production facilities where a further five million doses are ready for export, pending approval by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority under Section 21.
Onderstepoort Biological Products and Biogénesis Bagó concluded a distribution agreement aimed at securing a continuous supply pipeline.
“Our immediate priority is to secure a stable and sufficient vaccine pipeline so that we can scale up vaccinations rapidly across the country. Speed is non-negotiable. We must get ahead of this disease to protect our national herd, our farmers and the broader agricultural economy,” Steenhuisen said in a statement on Wednesday.
The partnership focuses on technical cooperation, capacity building and scientific collaboration, with attention on improving prevention, preparedness and rapid response capabilities.
The minister said the government is expanding distribution mechanisms to include the private sector, under government coordination, to ensure vaccines reach farms efficiently.
Discussions also explored positioning South Africa as a regional vaccine distribution hub for the Southern African Development Community, leveraging the expertise and partnerships developed through this collaboration.
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The ARC renewed and extended its cooperation agreement with Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina’s agricultural research institution. The partnership, building on a memorandum of understanding signed in 2021, will deepen collaboration in research, technology transfer and skills development in animal health and vaccine innovation.
Steenhuisen said South Africa’s response carries regional significance. “Our livestock sector is deeply interconnected with the economies and food systems of the Southern African Development Community. This partnership is about integrating science, production and implementation to build a resilient animal health system capable not only of managing the current outbreak, but of preventing future crises,” he said.
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