Reviving Vaccine Sovereignty: The Dawn of Local FMD Production

After more than two decades of reliance on imports, South Africa's Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Onderstepoort Veterinary Research (ARC-OVR) has achieved a monumental milestone by producing the nation's first batch of locally manufactured Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines. This breakthrough, announced in early February 2026, consists of 12,900 doses of a multi-strain vaccine targeting the Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes 1, 2, and 3—the predominant strains circulating in the region. Led by Dr. Faith Peta and her team at the ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (ARC-OVI), this development signals a proactive shift in combating one of the livestock sector's most devastating threats.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease, caused by the Aphthovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family, is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Unlike in humans, where it causes mild flu-like symptoms, FMD leads to painful blisters on the mouth, tongue, and feet in livestock, resulting in excessive salivation, lameness, reduced feed intake, and a sharp drop in milk production—up to 50% in dairy cows. While mortality is low (around 2-5% in adults), the disease's economic toll is immense due to trade embargoes and production losses, estimated at billions of rands during major outbreaks.

This resurgence in local production comes amid South Africa's worst FMD outbreak in decades, which began in KwaZulu-Natal in late 2024 and spread to eight provinces by 2026, affecting thousands of animals and prompting a National State of Disaster declaration. Previously, South Africa maintained an FMD-free status without vaccination until 2019, but recurring incursions necessitated a vaccination strategy.

Historical Context: From Self-Sufficiency to Import Dependency

South Africa's journey with FMD vaccine production dates back to the establishment of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in 1908, a cornerstone of veterinary research on the continent. Until 2005, the country produced its own vaccines using traditional methods involving infected bovine tongues for virus propagation—a labor-intensive process prone to biosecurity risks and inconsistent yields. Infrastructure decay and failure to meet international Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards led to a halt in local manufacturing, forcing reliance on imports from suppliers like the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) and Biogénesis Bagó.

This dependency exposed vulnerabilities: supply chain delays, mismatched strains to local variants, and high costs exacerbated the 2025-2026 crisis, where over 400 outbreaks were reported. Research efforts restarted around 2010, focusing on modern bioreactor technology for cell-culture-based production, which uses baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells to grow the virus more efficiently and safely.

The Scientific Foundations of the New Vaccine

The ARC-OVI vaccine is an inactivated (killed) formulation, the gold standard for FMD control. Here's a step-by-step overview of its development:

• Strain Selection: Researchers isolated and characterized circulating SAT strains from field outbreaks, collaborating with the Pirbright Institute in the UK for genomic sequencing and potency matching.
• Antigen Production: Viruses were propagated in bioreactors, yielding higher antigen payloads for potent immunity.
• Inactivation and Formulation: Beta-propiolactone inactivates the virus, followed by adjuvants like saponin to enhance immune response, ensuring protection for 6-12 months.
• Quality Control: Rigorous testing for sterility, potency (via guinea pig challenge models), and safety, culminating in registration under Act 36 of 1947.
• Scale-Up: From pilot batches to projected 20,000 doses weekly by March 2026.

This multivalent vaccine addresses the antigenic diversity of SAT types, a challenge in Africa where O, A, Asia1, and C serotypes dominate elsewhere.

Key Players: ARC-OVI and Academic Collaborations

At the helm is Dr. Faith Peta, Chief Research Technician in ARC-OVI's Vaccine Production Programme, whose team navigated years of R&D setbacks. The ARC-OVI Transboundary Animal Diseases Campus, a BSL-4 equivalent facility, has been pivotal. Collaborations extend to academia: the University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science, co-located at Onderstepoort, provides expertise through researchers like Dr. Anneke Pretorius, who bridges ARC and university roles in immunology.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) leads a SADC-wide FMD program with the University of Pretoria, focusing on diagnostics and epidemiology. Recent publications, such as a 2024 Frontiers in Veterinary Science meta-analysis on FMD vaccine efficacy in Africa (involving ARC-OVI authors), underscore these ties, revealing protection rates of 70-90% against homologous strains.Frontiers study

For those in veterinary science, such partnerships highlight career paths; explore higher ed research jobs or South Africa university jobs to contribute to similar breakthroughs.

Deployment and Initial Impacts

The inaugural batch was distributed to high-risk provinces: Free State (2,300 doses), Eastern Cape (2,600), North West, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga (2,000 each). Complementing imports like 1.5 million Dollvet doses from Turkey, this bolsters a national vaccination drive targeting 20 million cattle. Early reports indicate reduced lesion incidence in vaccinated herds, per ARC surveillance.

Stakeholder views vary: Farmers welcome faster access, but caution against overuse, which could complicate FMD-free certification. Minister John Steenhuisen emphasized a "science-led approach," quoting, "This is our shift from defense to offense in the war on FMD."Minister's speech

Economic and Sectoral Ramifications

FMD outbreaks have cost South Africa's beef and dairy sectors over R3 billion since 2024, with export bans to the EU and Middle East. Local production cuts costs by 30-40%, enhances strain relevance, and safeguards 800,000 farming jobs. Dairy cooperatives like Clover report stabilized milk yields post-vaccination.

Broader implications include food security for rural communities reliant on livestock, and opportunities for SADC export of vaccines, positioning South Africa as a regional hub.

Challenges and Risk Mitigation

Despite progress, hurdles remain:

• Vaccine matching to evolving strains requires ongoing surveillance.
• Illegal imports pose biosecurity threats.
• Farmer compliance in communal areas needs education.
• Funding for facility upgrades to GMP levels.

The 10-year eradication plan includes ring vaccination, traceability via RFID, and genomic monitoring, drawing from successful models in Brazil and Uruguay.

Future Horizons: Scaling Research and Innovation

By 2027, ARC aims for 200,000 doses weekly, with R&D into synthetic peptides and DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) markers for trade compliance. University collaborations will drive this, with UP's Onderstepoort campus training the next generation of virologists.

Prospective academics can access academic CV tips or professor jobs in veterinary fields.

Higher Education's Role in Veterinary Breakthroughs

This FMD vaccine success exemplifies how higher education fuels applied research. Institutions like the University of Pretoria and University of the Free State (UFS) provide epidemiological insights—UFS experts advocate biosecure practices amid crises. Such synergies create jobs in virology, epidemiology, and biotech, vital for South Africa's National Development Plan.

Check rate my professor for vet science faculty or higher ed jobs to join the frontline.

Photo by Ajeet Panesar on Unsplash

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Resilience

South Africa's FMD vaccine breakthrough is more than a scientific win—it's a testament to resilient research ecosystems bridging academia, government, and industry. As production ramps up, the nation edges toward FMD-free status, securing livelihoods and exports. For researchers and students, it's an invitation to innovate. Explore university jobs, higher ed jobs, rate my professor, higher ed career advice, and post a job to advance this legacy.Farmers Weekly report