Source: UN News: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 00:01 AM
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that transboundary animal diseases (TADs) are becoming a growing threat to food security, trade and livelihoods around the world. According to experts, the reasons behind the spread of diseases are also becoming more complex. The increased movement of animals, people and products, changing production systems, environmental pressures and uneven veterinary and surveillance capabilities are creating new transmission routes for diseases and pests. The organization said that as diseases and pests spread rapidly across borders, there is increasing pressure on countries to strengthen prevention, preparedness and rapid response systems. The need to strengthen international cooperation, surveillance and early warning systems to deal with these threats is emphasized. These diseases include diseases such as New World screwworm, African swine fever, avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and peste des petits ruminants (PPR).F.A.O. The WHO also cautions that emerging zoonotic diseases, such as Andes hantavirus, Ebola and Nipah, also pose serious challenges to global health security. The issue of employment of one billion people increases the risks from this situation, as the livestock sector supports the livelihoods of more than one billion people worldwide and contributes trillions of dollars of economic value every year. Assistant to the Animal Production and Health Division of FAO Director General and Chief Veterinarian Dr Tiensin Thanawat said that the impacts of these outbreaks are not limited to animal health only, but their scope is much wider. He said that these outbreaks disrupt agricultural production, trade and tourism, affect livelihoods, increase risks to food security and in some cases even pose a direct threat to human health. In such a situation, the protection of animal health is not only for farmers and livestock farmers, but also for food security, trade, economic stability. And it is also very important for rural prosperity. © UNOCHA/Giles Clarke Foot and mouth disease causes losses of approximately $11.3 billion each year. The economic impact of cross-border animal diseases is also huge, affecting markets worth billions of dollars. Avian influenza has resulted in the loss of more than 633 million birds and is impacting a market worth approximately $48 billion. Foot-and-mouth disease causes losses of approximately $11.3 billion each year, while African swine fever has reduced pig populations by more than 40 percent in parts of Asia. These impacts demonstrate that strong surveillance systems, rapid detection and How coordinated international action is needed. Recent developments in the cross-border spread of diseases highlight the seriousness and urgency of this challenge. New World screwworm, successfully controlled for many years, has now reemerged in the United States, spreading northward from Central America and Mexico. Similarly, the spread of the SAT1 serotype of foot and mouth disease beyond its historical range in Africa is of concern to Asia, the Middle East, and other regions. These events illustrate how quickly animal health threats can cross borders and pose serious threats to food production, trade, and livelihoods. Can pose a risk. © FAO/Hashim Azizi Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious disease that affects farm animals, including cows, pigs, sheep and goats. Recommendations…To deal with these growing threats, the need for stronger surveillance systems, early detection, better information-sharing and greater international cooperation among countries is emphasized. According to FAO, prevention and preparedness are the most effective and cost-effective measures that can be taken to reduce the impact of these disease outbreaks. Also, when outbreaks exceed national capacity, FAO responds quickly to intervention. This includes providing expertise, coordinating the response and sustaining action by mobilizing resources, especially when national systems are under pressure or other agencies are unable to respond.
