Agriculture
FMD relief provided through vehicle manufacturer’s campaign─── ISABEL VAN TONDER 14:15 Wed, 01 Jul 2026
A vehicle manufacturer has awarded financial relief and practical support packages to farmers affected by the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
Launched at Nampo Harvest Day 2026, the campaign was centred on the Farmer Stories Fund, a relief initiative that provided R190 000 in practical support packages to selected farmers affected by the outbreak.
Isuzu Motors South Africa launched the campaign to provide meaningful support to affected farmers while highlighting the resilience of South Africa’s agricultural community.
“Through the Farmer Solidarity Campaign, we wanted to place farmers and their experiences at the centre of the conversation while providing practical support during a particularly challenging time.
“The stories we received, highlighted both the impact of the outbreak and the resilience of South Africa’s farming community … we are proud to stand alongside farmers and contribute in a meaningful way where support is needed most,” said Mpho Nkhumeleni, department executive: CV sales and revenue generation at the company.
The Farmer Stories Fund awarded financial relief to three farmers affected by the outbreak, recognizing the challenges they faced and the resilience they demonstrated during this difficult period.
One of the recipients, Amogelang Metsamere from Kimberley, said the outbreak placed significant strain on farming operations. “We experienced significant cash-flow strain, increased biosecurity costs and restrictions on livestock movement that limited grazing opportunities and feed purchases. As a result, our buying and selling plans were severely disrupted.”
Foot-and-mouth outbreaks place significant financial strain on farmers. Photo: Pexel.com
Jannie Marais from Bloemfontein, another recipient, described the outbreak as one of the most challenging periods for his farming operation.
“The first cow showed excessive salivation and was not eating properly. Soon more cattle showed symptoms and milk production dropped noticeably, affecting the dairy operation financially. The calves were affected the worst, becoming weak very quickly, and unfortunately, we lost many calves during the outbreak. The experience was stressful and difficult, especially seeing young animals suffer.”
The support package included three R50 000 financial relief awards, and two customers received R20 000 each in service plans.
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