Foot and mouth disease: what the outbreak means for Lesotho’s farmers and consumers

Foot and mouth disease has swept through Lesotho and South Africa in the worst outbreak either country has recorded in a generation. From the cattle posts of Butha-Buthe to the feedlots of KwaZulu-Natal, the disease is reshaping what farmers earn, what consumers pay, and what arrives on the family table. On 18 February 2026, veterinary officials at a cattle post in Mahlasela, Motebong, in Butha-Buthe district, tested 17 head of cattle showing signs of illness. Six tested positive for foot…Continue reading with a subscriptionSubscribe for full access to every story.Subscribe - M85/monthAlready a subscriber? Sign in Advertisement ...