The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has kicked off its “first-ever” Global Conference on Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centres and Vaccines, to propel global efforts to enhance animal health, prevent disease outbreaks, promote sustainable livestock production and implement its “One Health” approach. 

The event will also focus on ways to protect human health and drive food security.

“The productivity and resilience of livestock systems worldwide are threatened by infectious diseases, emerging pathogens, endemic disease burdens and climate change,” FAO chief scientist ad interim Beth Crawford says.

Addressing these challenges calls for “a united effort, leveraging our collective expertise and resources.”

The event, held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy from September 23 to 25, represents a “unique opportunity to explore how to integrate existing mechanisms and knowledge with new and improved tools to reduce the global burden of animal disease,” she adds.

Participants include state representatives from the agriculture and livestock sectors in Ethiopia, Uganda and India, alongside a delegation from the World Health Organization for Animal Health and global animal health experts.

Farmer impact

Animal diseases such as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and African swine fever (ASF) directly affect the farmer livelihoods through “increased mortality and reduced livestock productivity,” flags the FAO. 

The diseases lead to global economic costs of up to US$300 billion per year and a 20% loss in animal production. Moreover, the organization warns that 75% of emerging animal diseases can be transmitted to humans.

“The impact of PPR on small ruminant farming is huge. Most often we look at the impact in terms of economic losses. But I can say it is more than that,” says Ladi Amos Chabiri, a senior veterinary research officer from the National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, Nigeria.

“These households keep small ruminants for income; they use the manure for their farming activities and milk for the nutrition of their children. It is a source of labor. A lot of them [farmers] have their savings in small ruminants. They don’t have bank accounts in their rural communities, so they keep animals and sell them whenever they need to pay for school fees, for medical bills.”

The FAO recommends vaccinating animals as a cost-effective and sustainable measure to prevent and control infectious emerging and re-emerging diseases. 

“It reduces animal mortality, minimizes economic losses, decreases the need for antibiotics, and helps protect human health, food security, and farmers’ livelihoods.”

Taking action

The FAO acknowledges that reducing disease outbreaks will require overcoming challenges such as infectious diseases, climate change and issues in productivity and resilience. It supports disease prevention and control programs, emergency responses and ensures the supply of veterinary vaccines.

One of the objectives of the ongoing conference will be exploring ways to integrate existing mechanisms and knowledge with “new and improved tools” to reduce the global burden of animal disease.

It will also highlight the role of the 60 FAO Reference Centres worldwide, which provide expertise and training in disease diagnostics, epidemiology and applied veterinary research, supporting capacity development and playing a crucial role in enhancing the sustainability and resilience of livestock systems. 

Additionally, the Joint FAO/International Atomic Energy Agency Centre’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Network brings together experts to use nuclear-derived and other methods for monitoring, early detection, diagnosis and control of transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases,” highlights the FAO.

Securing safe vaccine supply

Another important aspect to be discussed during the event will be addressing issues surrounding the secure and affordable supply of safe and effective vaccines, which the FAO considers a “cornerstone of disease control and eradication.”

“Participants are expected to emphasize the importance of innovative approaches in vaccinology and the accessibility of high-quality vaccines for all livestock keepers.”

The event will also provide member countries an overview of FAO’s mandate in controlling animal and zoonotic diseases, managing health emergencies, facilitating vaccine procurement and advancing capacity-building aligned with the sustainable development goals.

Meanwhile, in the UK, meat associations are concerned about the risk of African swine fever arriving in the region due to a lack of border control resources.