South Africa and Germany partnership to combat FMD
Published: 13th Mar 2026
Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (11 March 2026) – In a landmark move for international agricultural diplomacy, the South African Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, and the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity of Germany, Alois Rainer, officially signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on Agricultural Development to enhance bilateral cooperation in the control of foot and mouth disease (FMD) and trade in animal products.
Alliance against FMD
As South Africa navigates a relentless FMD outbreak, this partnership provides a vital lifeline of technical expertise and innovation. “We are deeply appreciative of the German government’s commitment to this partnership,” said Minister Steenhuisen.
The parties have identified five core areas of focus to be implemented under the declaration:
- Knowledge sharing: Exchanging best practices on outbreak prevention and FMD containment, with a specific focus on biosecurity in animal husbandry and veterinary services.
- Wildlife monitoring: Developing robust FMD monitoring systems, particularly for wildlife populations.
- Advanced immunisation: Exploring new frontiers in FMD immunisation, including the application of mRNA technologies.
- Diagnostic research: Collaborative research and development on diagnostic tools, specifically differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) tests.
- Risk management: Researching FMD risk materials in controlled slaughter environments.
Tags: FMD, John Steenhuisen
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