The launch of the Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) traceability platform’s second phase in Pretoria marks a leap forward for South Africa’s red meat sector. For the first time, livestock movement from farm to abattoir can be tracked digitally via secure integration with existing systems — and a free app rolls out in December for smaller or non-digital farmers.
The platform tracks movement only (via Global Location Number – GLN), not production data — keeping it simple, secure, and industry-owned. Full abattoir-level traceability -Stronger export protocol compliance -Faster disease outbreak detection -all so good-
This implementation marks a key step toward real-time disease control, stronger export compliance and greater inclusivity across the value chain.
Most of these digital traceability systems are designed in air-conditioned corporate offices by people who’ve never chased a cow through thornveld at 4 a.m., wrestled a sick calf in the rain, or negotiated grazing rights in a communal kraal. We sure that that this system was tested on farm levels with real commercial and small holder farmers.
For the first time, data can now flow securely between these systems. Producers stay in control of their information while the industry gains the ability to track animal movements with speed and precision.
Digital tagging is powerful — but in South Africa and much of Africa, cattle aren’t just on registered farms. Millions roam on communal land, with no fixed GLN, no formal ownership records, and no digital access.Without solving land access and tenure, this system risks becoming a high-tech tool for the haves, while the have-nots — small-scale, communal, and emerging farmers — remain invisible in the value chain.True traceability needs - needs Secure land for all cattle owners- Affordable GLN registration for communal areas -Training and solar-powered devices for remote users -Inclusion of informal traders and feedlots.
The RMIS traceability platform is powerful on paper: it tracks cattle from farm to abattoir, helps fight foot-and-mouth disease, unlocks export markets, and comes with a free app launching in December. But implementation on the ground is where the rubber hits the mud.The gap between code and cattle is vast. In corporate vision, you simply scan the tag — but in rural reality, there’s no signal, no smartphone, and no electricity. They say link to a GLN in seconds, yet many have no formal land title to generate one.
They demand all farmers comply, but over 60% of South Africa’s cattle are in communal areas with no records. They promise a quick rollout, when training more than 100,000 farmers will take years.It will work — but only if we bridge the divide. Big commercial farms will adopt fast, yet true national traceability requires solar-powered ear tags and offline apps, community GLNs for shared grazing lands, local youth paid to help register and scan, and integration with traditional leaders.
We dare not ignore the ugly truth: deliberate sabotage is fuelling the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across South Africa, designed to force farmers to their knees. This is no longer just a virus; it’s a weapon. We need to use this system to control this aswell.
Until then, digital tagging is a shot in the dark — brilliant in theory, blind in practice.Bottom 2025 and beyond: The tech is ready. Now fix the foundation. - We live in Africa - and been controlled by APPS-
FLEXBOX -- 170 (sold) South Africa - Happy Families training together in the comfort of their homes- The USA is wide open and the first boxes are been shipped.
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