Mooi-Mpofana farmers launch pilot project to help curb spread of FMD

Farmers in and around Mooi-Mpofana are joining forces and launching a pilot project to create a control plan unique to the area and its livestock communities as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to spread throughout the province.

The initiative aims to support government and private initiatives with grassroots research, awareness and control plans, tailor made with local knowledge, for the municipality to track the spread of FMD, animal movement control, rollout of vaccination and rapid response to new infections, all in collaboration with relevant authorities.

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The Mooi-Mpofana project is built on a simple idea: that those on the ground are best placed to provide valuable information, and respond quickly and effectively.

Speaking at a meeting held at the Mooi-Mpofana Farmers Association on Monday, retired state veterinary official Kevin le Roux said there need to be a multi-layered approach to control FMD.

The meeting was attended by local farmers, uMngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas, as well as Technology platform Buffalo Analytics and vaccine supplier Dunevax Biotech.

The vaccine is only one part of it, then you have surveillance. Only if everyone works together and are being honest with where the disease is, will we be able to understand it.

“There has to be movement control that everyone, including children, need to be educated on and we also need to control the movement of animals so that if something does happen, we can respond rapidly,” he said.

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He added that each community is different and can deal with the disease if they come together and build a system that works for them in collaboration with authorities.

Le Roux warned that weak surveillance and the highly contagious nature of FMD have allowed the virus to spread widely across the province.

“The potential for disease movement is unbelievable. People, vehicles and animals are constantly moving.

“If we don’t take responsibility at community level, we won’t contain it,” he said.

Farmers are now focusing on building what they describe as a “culture of biosecurity” — identifying all livestock, monitoring high-risk areas such as road crossings and shared grazing land, and improving communication between farmers.

Le Roux stressed that collaboration between commercial and communal farmers is critical.

One fence between a communal farmer and a commercial farmer means nothing when it comes to this disease.

“We need a collective plan that includes everyone and aligns with government regulations,” he said.

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The pilot project will also include education campaigns and efforts to improve compliance with quarantine rules and movement restrictions, which are seen as key to slowing the spread.

Private sector partners have stepped in to support the initiative.

Technology platform Buffalo Analytics and vaccine supplier Dunevax Biotech are working with farmers to facilitate access to vaccines, following approval from the minister of Agriculture.

Farmers have been encouraged to register on the Buffalo Analytics platform, where they can submit vaccine requests, share data with authorities and co-ordinate with veterinarians.

However, uncertainty over vaccine supply remains a major concern.

ALSO READ | KZN bans livestock movement as foot-and-mouth outbreak spreads

Dunevax CEO David Gerber said two million doses of the Dolvet FMD vaccine are expected to arrive in the country later this month, but it is unclear how many will be made available for private purchase.

“Access ultimately depends on government decisions,” he said.