South Africa’s Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp has launched a new online authorisation system that allows farmers to apply for permission to vaccinate their own cattle against foot and mouth disease (FMD). The change is part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to FMD and improve how vaccination actions are authorised and implemented.
Under the system, farmers submit applications electronically to obtain approval before conducting self-vaccination. The announcement indicates a move toward greater digitisation of regulatory processes in the livestock sector, aiming to make the authorisation process more accessible while maintaining oversight.
The initiative reflects ongoing government efforts to control and limit the spread of FMD, a highly contagious livestock disease that can affect cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals. By formalising a pathway for farmers to seek authorisation online, the government is seeking to coordinate vaccination efforts more effectively across agricultural communities.
