Countries around the world are facing a growing threat from transboundary animal diseases (TADs), including New World Screwworm, African Swine Fever, Avian Influenza, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and Peste des Petits Ruminants, as well as other emerging zoonotic threats such as Andes hantavirus, Ebola, and Nipah. As diseases and pests move more rapidly across borders, countries are facing increasing pressure to strengthen prevention, preparedness and response systems.
The stakes are high. Livestock sectors support more than one billion livelihoods and contribute trillions of dollars in economic value each year. Protecting animal health is therefore critical not only for farmers and livestock keepers, but also for food security, trade, economic stability, and rural prosperity.
The factors driving disease spread are becoming increasingly complex. Increased movement of animals, people and products, changing production systems, environmental pressures and uneven veterinary and surveillance capacity are creating new opportunities for diseases and pests to spread across regions. Addressing these threats requires stronger surveillance, earlier detection, greater information sharing and closer international cooperation.
“The impacts of these outbreaks extend far beyond animal health. They disrupt agricultural production, trade, and tourism, threaten livelihoods, increase food security risks, and in some cases pose direct risks to human health,” said Dr Tiensin Thanawat, FAO Assistant Director-General, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, and Chief Veterinarian.
The economic impacts of transboundary animal diseases are substantial. Avian influenza has resulted in the loss of more than 633 million poultry and threatens a $48 billion market, while foot-and-mouth disease causes $11.3 billion in annual losses and African swine fever has reduced pig herds by over 40 percent in some parts of Asia. These impacts underscore the importance of stronger surveillance, faster detection and coordinated international action.
