The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) Traceability Platform recently announced new mobile application features and operational rollout measures designed to support vaccination efforts and enable continued livestock trade during South Africa’s ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming
The free RMIS mobile app for Android now includes three key features to help producers manage their livestock during the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. Producers can confirm vaccine delivery by scanning product QR codes directly through the app, ensuring accurate tracking of vaccination supplies.
The app also enables recording of vaccinations at the individual animal level, providing detailed health records for each animal in a producer’s herd. Additionally, new livestock movement management tools allow users to track and record animal movements through the platform.
Field Operations Scaled up Significantly
The RMIS says it has deployed 20 animal health technicians and four mobile processing units across affected provinces to support the outbreak response. The platform initially ordered 130 000 industry traceability tags, with the first 5 000 tags already dispatched to the field.
Field technicians are responsible for tagging and vaccinating animals on-site, while producers receive access to the mobile app after being assigned a global location number through the platform.
Also read: Imbizo 2026 | Managing the new normal: RMIS charts a path through foot-and-mouth (FMD) crisis
Funding Secured for Expanded Programme
The organisation says it has secured an additional R7 million in private funding for the initial rollout phase. RMIS aims to scale the programme to accommodate five million tags, with additional private funding currently being finalised to support this expansion.
The new features specifically target small-scale farmers, who own approximately 40% of South Africa’s cattle population. This inclusion strengthens national herd protection and helps maintain market supply during the outbreak.
Traceability Enables Continued Trade
The enhanced traceability capabilities address growing buyer requirements for verified vaccination records and movement control. Many livestock buyers now require traceability documentation, making these tools essential for maintaining operational trade during the FMD outbreak.
The platform links traceability, animal health monitoring and digital access to create a coordinated response to outbreak pressures while supporting continued industry operations.
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