Agreement to limit the spread of trans boundary livestock diseases
Five Southeast Asian countries - Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - have signed an agreement with China and FAO to promote safe consumption of meat in their respective countries.
In order to limit the spread of transboundary livestock diseases in Southeast Asia, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has signed on Tuesday the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Project that will provide tools to face the plagues.
Approximately 65 percent of the world's pig population is concentrated in Asia and with an increasing demand for its meat and dairy products, the socioeconomic impact of swine diseases is higher than ever in the region.
The veterinary institutes and animal health authorities of the respective participating countries will work together with Chinese experts and FAO specialists to improve their practices and develop a plan and improve the trade of animals across borders.
The higher the demand, the greater the risk
With the growing demand for meat, fish and other foods in Asia, consumption is expected to continue rising in the coming years. The increase in demand, however, also raises the risks of diseases associated with cross-border trade in livestock.
This requires the implementation of effective controls, for example, for foot-and-mouth disease . In one study, it was estimated that the benefits of a program for its control and eradication in Southeast Asia exceeded 70 million dollars.
Countries in Southeast Asia have similar climatic conditions and socioeconomic factors. These countries continue to report outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases. These diseases and their spread, particularly foot-and-mouth disease, have caused billions of dollars a year in losses for the region.
"There is clearly a need to move forward with more controls in this region, and FAO is very pleased to work with China and the countries of the Mekong region to help control the spread of transboundary animal diseases," said Kundhavi Kadiresan, deputy director of FAO and general and regional representative for Asia and the Pacific.
The FAO-China South-South Cooperation Project is funded by the Beijing government and implemented by FAO.
