FAO, Ethiopia launch project to tackle animal disease

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture launched Monday a project aiming at enhancing the livestock sector by addressing animal disease in the East African nation.

The project dubbed Improved Animal Health Service Delivery -- Pursuing Pastoral Resilience (PPR), through improved animal health services in pastoral areas of Ethiopia, was officially launched on Monday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

The project is to build the capacity of the federal, regional state and woreda level public veterinary services of Ethiopia and the private sector along a public-private partnership (PPP) approach, to implement a progressive control program for peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a viral disease, also known as sheep and goat plague, that affects sheep and goats.

The project will progressively control PPR through improved disease surveillance and will contribute to the control of other trans-boundary animal diseases, according to FAO.

Ethiopia is rich in livestock resources which constitute an important asset and livelihood base for the majority of the population engaged both in mixed crop-livestock farming and pastoral production coupled with very insignificant commercialized systems.

Sheep and goats are two of the major livestock species kept and cared for by many Ethiopian rural communities.

However, the impact of Ethiopia's livestock resource on food security and livelihoods has always been constrained principally by epizootic disease issues, says FAO.

With a fund amounting about 9.3 million Euros secured from the European Union (EU), the project is implemented to progressively control PPR in pastoralist areas of Ethiopia in a period of 42 months, said Susan Minae, FAO Representative, at the opening of the launching workshop.

Stating that due attention has been given to the sector by the country's growth and transformation plan, Gebreegziabher Gebreyohannes, State Minister for Livestock Development in the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, said different strategies are being used to develop the sector in the country.

Chantal Hebberecht, Head of EU Delegation, noted that contribution of Ethiopia's livestock sector to the country's economy and poverty alleviation is minimal compared to its high potential.

"One important challenge is that the animal health services to livestock herds in vast territories of the lowlands/agro-pastoral and pastoral areas, requires a significant strengthening of the quality and quantity of services delivery," she said.

An outcome of the project is expected in four components including, improved disease surveillance, investigation and diagnostic capacity; improved quality and quantity of PPR vaccine production; improved capacity to implement effective disease control program; and improved national and regional animal disease control coordination and knowledge exchange. Endi