In Early March 2026, the TAFS Forum brought together more than 80 public and private stakeholders for the conference: โStrengthening FMD Control Capacity and Enhance Resilienceโ, in Cape Town.
The conference provided a platform to explore practical solutions for strengthening animal health, develop a shared understanding of the challenges ahead, and advance a common strategic path towards sustainable FMD control in the Southern Africa region.
The consensus? Moving forward from reactive outbreak management to proactive resilient animal health systems depends on three main strategic pillars:
- ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: Real Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) built on built on trust, transparency, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.
- ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: FMD control need sustainable funding. It a strategic development priority, not an expense.
- Real ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Viruses donโt respect borders. Harmonized outbreak response protocols, reliable access to high-quality vaccines and diagnostics, and strengthened laboratory networks are essential.
FMD control cannot be achieved in isolation, it requires the commitment and cooperation of all stakeholders.
A heartfelt thank you to all participants and speakers, you made this conference both meaningful and inspiring.
For those who would like to revisit the key insights and outcomes, the full conference summary is available at the FMDย section:ย Link
The TAFS forum is seeking new members. If you are interested, please contact us and describe what you might be able to contribute to the TAFS forum. We look forward to hearing from you.
