The Role of Livestock for ACP countries: challenges and opportunities ahead

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The Role of Livestock for ACP countries
challenges and opportunities ahead

• Addressing animal and human health constraints
  a global and regional priority
• Vittorio Cagnolati

Brussels, 1 July 2009
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Challenges

• Africa harbours a large number of infectious
  animal and zoonotic diseases, with direct and
  indirect negative impact on human health, well
  being and livestock production
• Most zoonotic diseases in Africa originate from
  wild animals and or domestic animals reared under
  extensive/scavenging systems
• Only Rinderpest eradicated from the Continent
• Major epizootic diseases (FMD, CBPP, PPR and
  Newcastle) still widespread and causing heavy
  losses
• There are rising environmental concerns due to
  livestock production, animal welfare issues and
  public health

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Trends

• Increased poverty and marginalization
• Inability of public sector to fund and maintain
  good animal health control programs
• Rapid urbanization, changing behaviour, increased
  demand for animal products and safety standards
• Intensification of animal production, especially
  poultry, pigs and dairy sectors
• Increased speed and movement of people and
  livestock commodities
• Changing land use systems and climate change
• Weak veterinary services and cooperation with
  public health services

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Impact of epizootic and zoonotic diseases (1)

• Reduced availability of valuable animal proteins
  to producers, especially poor farmers and
  pastoralists, and consumers (hunger, malnutrition
  and poor diet quality)
• Poor human health and well-being
• Impaired animal productivity (meat, eggs, milk,
  hides and skins) and fertility
• Limited access to lucrative domestic, regional
  and international markets
• Diminished contribution of animal resources to
  poverty alleviation, food security and economic
  growth

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Impact of epizootic and zoonotic diseases (2)

• High cost of control and prevention at producer
  and national levels
• Decreased availability of animal draught power,
  especially for subsistence farmers, and on farm
  transport especially important among elderly and
  sickly (HIV/AIDS) farmers
• Constrained domestic and regional growth of
  agro-processing industries (insufficient and
  irregular supply of quality animal products and
  by-products)
• Erosion of social values and insecurity,
  especially in pastoral areas

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Weak Veterinary Services

• Gross under-funding at national level
• Poor cooperation with Public Health Services
• Limited laboratory diagnostic capacity and
  surveillance systems
• Paucity of timely and reliable data for evidence
  based advocacy, development of control
  strategies, resource allocation and investments
• Patchy early warning and response mechanisms
• Poor regional and continental coordination
  (except Rinderpest and HPAI)
• Isolated from functional networks, aged workforce
  with insufficient or out-moded skills

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AU-IBAR main achievements (1)

• Rinderpest eradicated after 45 years through
• Coordinated efforts at Pan-African and Regional
  levels
• 250 million USD mobilized by different programs
  (JP15, PARC, PACE and SERECU)
• 525 million heads of cattle immunized
• Extensive surveillance in domestic cattle and
  wildlife
• Capacity building at national level on
  surveillance, diagnosis and vaccine production
  (PANVAC)
• Strong coordination at global level (GREP of FAO)
  and OIE

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AU-IBAR main achievements (2)

• Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (1)
• Rapidly mobilized substantial resources
  (SPINAP-AHI, ERSCA and EDRSAIA)
• SPINAP-AHI built on the experience and network
  developed by PACE
• Strengthen national capacity for early detection
  and rapid response
• Improved surveillance, diagnostic capacity,
  border control, awareness creation and behaviour
  change communication
• Institutional arrangement with partners involved
  in both animal and public health

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AU-IBAR main achievements (3)

• Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (2)
• Development of Integrated National Action Plan
  (INAP) to foster cooperation between human and
  animal health professionals, coordination at
  national level and improved communication
• Funding provided to 47 Sub-Saharan African
  Countries
• Established an integrated team at AU-IBAR level,
  comprised of Animal, Human and Wildlife experts
• Strong coordination with World Bank, FAO and OIE
• Establishment of Regional Animal Health Centre in
  partnership with FAO and OIE (3 fully
  operational)

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Way Forward

• Promote the One World, One Health approach in
  the Continent
• Mobilize resources (domestic, regional and
  international) and coordinate Pan-African control
  and eradication programs for major epizootic
  diseases
• Enhance capacity for early detection and rapid
  response for emerging and re-emerging animal
  diseases and zoonosis
• Enhance capacity of Member Countries and Regional
  Economic Communities (RECs) to coordinate and
  implement disease prevention and control programs
• Enhance the governance of Veterinary Services

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Thank You