As mounting calls from farmers urge the declaration of the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak as a national disaster, the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), an agricultural interest network for farmers by farmers, insists that the financial survival of family farmers must remain at the heart of all efforts to combat the disease and mitigate its severe economic impact on the livestock sector.
Saai emphasises that declaring Foot-and-Mouth Disease a national disaster under South Africa’s Disaster Management Act would deliver critical advantages to struggling farmers and accelerate containment of the outbreak.
Key benefits include:
- Faster mobilisation of national resources A declaration would enable the government to swiftly deploy stores, equipment, vehicles, and facilities to affected areas, bolstering vaccination campaigns, roadblocks, checkpoints, disinfectant supplies, and overall outbreak response capabilities.
- Deployment of additional personnel National organs of state could release personnel to provide emergency services, placing more boots on the ground for animal health interventions, inspections, movement control enforcement, awareness drives, and support for laboratories and field operations.
- Enhanced and expedited movement controls Stronger powers to regulate the movement of persons, goods, livestock, animal products, transport vehicles, auctions, and informal movements key drivers of disease spread would help enforce tighter biosecurity measures.
- Implementation of disaster plans and urgent directives The Minister would be empowered to activate relevant national disaster management plans and issue rapid directions or regulations, fostering a coordinated, whole-of-government response rather than fragmented provincial approaches.
- Improved coordination and consistent communication The Act facilitates the effective dissemination of essential information, ensuring clearer, more uniform messaging to farmers and the industry on biosecurity practices, disease reporting, movement restrictions, vaccination requirements, and compliance obligations.
- Accelerated emergency procurement Special procedures would speed up the acquisition of vital supplies, such as vaccines, diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), disinfectants, temporary infrastructure, and logistics support.
- Better logistical oversight in affected zones Regulations could be introduced for traffic management, communications, and temporary emergency facilities where required, supporting mobile teams, checkpoints, and controlled access routes for field operations.
Key message: A national disaster declaration would primarily unlock faster access to resources, personnel, procurement processes, and stricter movement controls the most essential tools for slowing and containing the spread of FMD.
Saai urges government to act decisively, placing the livelihoods of family farmers who form the backbone of rural communities and food security at the centre of the national response to this crisis.
