Dr. Faith Peta's journey into science began with an unlikely source of inspiration: Brooke Logan, a character in The Bold and the Beautiful. More than 20 years later, Peta has played a crucial role in the development of South Africa's locally produced Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine. As a scientist and Chief Research Technician in the FMD Vaccine Production Programme at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Peta has contributed significantly to the programme's goal of developing and manufacturing specialised veterinary vaccines.
The ARC's FMD Vaccine Production Programme focuses on addressing domestic outbreaks while improving the health of livestock. South Africa ceased producing the vaccine in 2005 due to ageing technology and infrastructure that were non-compliant with international Good Manufacturing Practice standards. Peta's story is one of determination, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility to leave the world in a better state than she found it. With a background in Veterinary Technology, Peta completed her Master's degree in 2014 and her PhD in Medical Virology in 2022.
On 6 February 2026, the ARC handed over the first batch of 12 900 locally produced FMD vaccine doses, which were distributed across the nine provinces. As the team leader, Peta managed all technical activities related to vaccine production, including personnel and infrastructure. The ARC has committed to producing 20 000 doses per week, with plans to scale up to 200 000 doses per week in 2027. Peta is also a key member of the team designing a new vaccine manufacturing factory.
The new factory aims to increase production capacity and make the country self-reliant in FMD vaccine production. The ARC is installing bigger equipment, including 1000-litre vaccine production vessels, to boost production. Peta stated that the vaccine has been hailed as "very efficacious and strong" by farmers and provinces, but the current production capacity is not meeting the demand. The ARC is working to address this gap and plans to roll out the vaccine on a monthly basis to address the national need.
To address the manufacturing constraints, Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp's proposal was approved on 21 September 2026, allowing qualifying private companies to use the ARC's intellectual property to manufacture FMD vaccine on a large scale. This decision aims to increase the availability of the ARC vaccine as South Africa continues to respond to the FMD outbreak. Under conditional IP licensing agreements, local and international companies will be allowed to manufacture the vaccine.
The Department of Agriculture has reported tangible progress in the fight against FMD, with the North West province recording no new cases for the first time since December 2025. Peta noted that FMD is expected to be a long-term challenge, with a national strategy to vaccinate the entire herd and consistently prove that there are no new infections. She estimated that it will take at least five to 10 years to achieve this goal.
Peta's journey to becoming a scientist was not straightforward. Born in Marapyane, Mpumalanga, she initially pursued a career in chemistry inspired by Brooke Logan's story. However, she later realised that chemistry was not for her and pursued a Veterinary Technology qualification instead. Peta joined the ARC in 2001 and was tasked with setting up a Bacterial Molecular Biology Diagnostic laboratory.
Key points
- Dr. Faith Peta played a crucial role in the development of South Africa's locally produced Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine.
- The Agricultural Research Council aims to produce 200 000 doses of FMD vaccine per week by 2027.
- The South African government has approved a proposal to allow private companies to manufacture FMD vaccine using the ARC's intellectual property.
