AGRICULTURE NEWS - Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, has proposed the development of a National Biosecurity Compact - shared commitment between government, industry, academia, and civil society to strengthen South Africa’s preparedness and resilience against biological threats.
Speaking at the National Biosecurity Summit 2025, held at the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield Campus on Tuesday, Steenhuisen outlined the objectives of the proposed compact, which aims to coordinate national responses to animal and plant health risks.
“This compact will define baseline vaccine stock levels; clarify roles and responsibilities during outbreaks; embed data-sharing mechanisms and institutional partnerships like the Biosecurity Hub; and provide a framework for coordinated, credible, and timely responses,” Steenhuisen said.
Steenhuisen argued that the initiative is not only about defending against risk, but “it is about enabling growth.”
He said export markets require sanitary and phytosanitary compliance, and they demand evidence of control, traceability, and institutional readiness.
“Strengthening our biosecurity systems opens the door to new trade opportunities, safeguards jobs, and boosts investor confidence in South African agriculture. Biosecurity is not a “nice-to-have”, [but] it is as fundamental to national stability as clean water, reliable electricity, or functioning roads.
“When it works, farmers prosper, food remains affordable, and our exports flourish. When it fails, the consequences are steep—economically, socially, and politically. We have the tools [and] the institutions, and now, we have the momentum,” the Minister said.
The Minister also noted one of the country’s most significant structural weaknesses, vaccine production, highlighting operational backlogs and infrastructure limitations at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) - the country’s primary vaccine producer.
“We cannot afford to repeat the failures of the past. Vaccines are not a luxury - they are the first line of defence in any biosecurity system, and we will hold OBP accountable.”
To address these challenges, the Minister announced that his office has implemented quarterly performance reviews, brought independent oversight, and is actively investigating diversification options to reduce dependence on a single supplier.
Addressing veterinarian shortage
The Minister also raised concerns about the critical shortage of veterinarians, particularly in the poultry industry and rural areas. “Nationally, we require 400 veterinarians. We currently have around 70 in the public system,” the Minister said.
To close this gap, he said the department is expanding vet training posts, creating rural internships opportunities, and building regional partnerships.
“Through the Biosecurity Hub, we are also mapping career pathways to attract a new generation of animal health professionals.”
Biosecurity Hub at Innovation Africa
Launched in October 2022, the Biosecurity Hub is a joint initiative between the Department of Agriculture, then Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and Department of Science Technology and Innovation.
The hub is an innovative platform designed to foster collaboration, enhance information sharing, and strengthen our collective capacity to respond to biological threats, not only for South Africa, but potentially across the continent.
It is a strategic outcome aligned with the overarching objectives of the Agricultural Agro-Processing Masterplan (AAPM) and the Decadal Plan. Both these national frameworks emphasise the importance of safeguarding agricultural value chains, promoting sustainable, trade, agro-processing, and ensuring food security utilising also biotechnologically advanced practices. – SAnews.gov.za
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