Agricultural sector sounds alarm over illegal Kenyan foot-and-mouth vaccine threat

South African agricultural organisations have raised urgent concerns over reports that an illegal Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine manufactured in Kenya is being smuggled into the country.

Industry leaders warn that the unauthorised importation and possible use of the vaccine poses a severe biosecurity threat that could trigger new outbreaks and devastate the livestock sector.

The Department of Agriculture this week confirmed it is aware of the risks, stressing that only the Botswana-produced Aftovaxpur vaccine containing SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3 strains is authorised for use in South Africa.

“Importing any veterinary vaccine without proper authorisation is a serious biosecurity breach and criminal offence. Vaccines must be declared and imported under strict permit conditions, as they require cold-chain management and are classified as high-risk cargo,” said Moses Rannditsheni, the department's spokesperson.

“We urge all stakeholders to refrain from using unregistered or illegally imported vaccines. These actions not only undermine disease control efforts but also pose a severe risk of introducing new, highly virulent strains such as O and A types, which are not present locally and can kill animals.”

Dewald Olivier, the CEO of the Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), confirmed that two suspicious shipments had already been detected, one in Polokwane and another in Pietermaritzburg, after an alert by veterinary specialist Dr Mark Chimes.

Olivier added that the consignment in Polokwane, falsely labelled as “Butanol”, was successfully intercepted at the airport.

“The vaccine has now been secured and is being transported under police escort to the TAD Laboratory for testing. The Kenyan vaccine contains serotypes O and A, which are not present in South Africa. Introducing foreign strains could trigger new outbreaks against which our animals have no immunity,” he said.

“No veterinary vaccine may be imported without a permit and written authorisation from the Director of Animal Health. To date, we have no evidence that this illegally imported vaccine has been used locally. However, RMIS urges anyone with relevant information to report it immediately to the authorities or your nearest State Veterinarian.”

Milk SA said they are alarmed to learn of reports that some livestock farmers may be importing and using a Kenyan FMD vaccine, or at the very least, threatening to do so.

“As much as Milk SA sympathises with the plight of farmers in the face of the current FMD epidemic, it cannot condone the practice. Importing any medication that is not licensed in South Africa is a criminal offence. Milk SA condemns the practice in the strongest terms.”

Francois Rossouw, CEO of the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), said the situation represents a grave threat to the sector.

“The Kenyan vaccine being mentioned contains FMD strains such as A and O that do not occur in South Africa. If those are brought into the country illegally, we are not just breaking the law; we are gambling with new virus strains against which our national herd has no immunity, with potentially catastrophic consequences for producers, exports, and food security,” Rossouw said.

“Any vaccine that is not registered and authorised through the proper channels under the Animal Diseases Act and Act 36 is illegal, and farmers who use it expose themselves and their neighbours to the risk of herd slaughter, criminal prosecution, and long-term market damage.”

FNB’s head of agriculture information and marketing, Dawie Maree, said it would be “a sad day” if farmers resort to illegally imported vaccines.

“There is a very strict protocol in place for the importation of any vaccine for a reason, to protect our livestock herds from unnecessary diseases. Introducing another strain of FMD in SA, through the illegal import of vaccines, could have a devastating effect on our livestock herd in SA,” Maree said.

“Now is the time for everyone in the industry, from farm-level to input providers, to act responsibly.”

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