Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the country has led to an economic fallout, decreased exports and job losses.
Steenhuisen was speaking during the Foot and Mouth Disease Indaba in Roodeplaat in Pretoria this morning.
Experts and government officials have gathered for the two-day meeting with the intention of finding modern and scientific ways to deal with the disease.
The disease has resulted in restrictions on livestock movement and has significantly impacted the country’s red meat trade in international markets.
With over 200 cases reported, provinces affected by the outbreak include KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and the Free State.
Steenhuisen says dealing with the effects of the disease needs private and public partnership.
“One of the most damaging consequences of this outbreak was our inability to contain the economic fallout because South Africa has no functional regionalisation framework. The entire country was penalised through the eyes of our trading partners, despite the outbreak being localised to specific zones. Exports of cloven-hoofed animals and their products were suspended or slowed. Jobs were lost and the reputational damage to our animal health system is one that will take time and action to repair.”
Meanwhile, Steenhuisen has called on key stakeholders to join hands with government in financing vaccine-procurement for FMD.
“The reason why everybody is in this room today is because the message is very clear: the state cannot do it all on its own and that’s why partnerships for growth are one of the key pillars of the Agriculture Department. So today, I want to send a clear message to the industry – if you want predictability, then you’re going to have to invest and partner with government. We’re calling on the livestock industry, especially the red meat, dairy and game sectors, to begin by partnering with us on vaccine procurement.”
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