Pretoria: The Department of Agriculture has launched an online self-vaccination application portal that will allow livestock owners to apply for authorisation to vaccinate their own animals against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), in a move aimed at streamlining the country's response to the disease. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp said the new system will enable cattle owners and managers to perform voluntary vaccination of their livestock against FMD.
According to South African Government News Agency, the online portal enables livestock owners to register on the FMD Reporting site and apply to become an authorised person to administer FMD vaccines. The system has been designed in line with biosecurity requirements, legal prescripts, and traceability measures, and reporting on vaccinations that were applied.
The application process is divided into three parts: Application to be an "Authorised Person", Notice of Intention to Vaccinate, and Submit a vaccination report. Livestock owners and managers must apply through the FMD Reporting System to be approved as an 'Authorised Person' permitted to administer FMD vaccines. Once approved, they will be required to give notice of their intention to vaccinate, to the Provincial Director of Veterinary Services or the applicable State Veterinarian for the area concerned. Following vaccination, authorised persons must submit a vaccination report within 14 days, with the required feedback on the vaccines administered.
The department said livestock owners and managers may also use approved third-party digital platforms, including those operated by Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI), and Buffalo Analytics, to complete the notification and reporting process. The information submitted through approved private-sector platforms will be shared with the Department of Agriculture and uploaded to the department's system. Livestock owners are advised to confirm that their chosen platform has been approved for use by the Director of Animal Health.
Aucamp said the information gathered through these report-back systems will enable the government to monitor the progress of the vaccination programme. "It will also enable us to efficiently provide up-to-date information on the success of South Africa's vaccination programme to the World Organisation for Animal Health when we are in a position to apply for FMD-free status with vaccination once again," Aucamp said.
The Minister reiterated the department's commitment to strengthening relations with the sector and that he will chart a unified way of working which welcomes support and collaboration from all stakeholders. He also encouraged organised agricultural organisations to liaise with approved vaccine importers, on behalf of their members, on the number of vaccines required by their members.
This, he said, will assist importers in determining the number of vaccines that they need to procure and distribute to veterinarians all over the country. Vaccine importers have also been urged to work with veterinarians to determine the number of vaccines that the veterinarians want to order for their clients in a specific area.
Farmers participating in the voluntary vaccination programme will be responsible for the cost of vaccines administered to their livestock. However, the government will continue providing vaccines in areas where new FMD outbreaks are detected, as well as to farmers who cannot afford to purchase them. "I want to thank all farmers, organised agriculture organisations as well as the Department of Agriculture officials, who have worked tirelessly to get these systems up and running shortly after reaching the settlement," the Minister said.
