The Sixth Expert Consultation on the Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal Diseases (EMPRES)-Livestock Programme was held in Rome, Italy, from 2 to 4 October 2002. The theme for the meeting, “Implementing EMPRES in an environment of weakening public veterinary services”, was chosen in view of the current situation in which outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) have increased and have become difficult to control because of weakened public veterinary services, especially in developing countries.
The trend in recent years for governments to decentralize and to privatize many of their services has had particular implications for the control of transboundary diseases |
The meeting was opened by Dr Louise O. Fresco, Assistant Director-General, FAO Agriculture Department, who welcomed participants and confirmed FAO's continuing commitment to EMPRES as a priority programme. Dr Yves Cheneau, Chief of the Animal Health Service, in his introductory remarks, emphasized the theme of the meeting, which was to address the need to strengthen veterinary services in member countries, especially in the developing world.
The trend in recent years for governments to decentralize and to privatize many of their services has had particular implications for the control of transboundary diseases, for which a solid line of command needs to be maintained between central veterinary authorities and operational field staff. The liberalization of international trade, with the formalization of sanitary rules under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, has created additional pressure for countries to be able to demonstrate that they have an effective veterinary service, including an ability to monitor and report livestock disease status. Furthermore, there is recognition worldwide that livestock production and both formal and informal trade between countries is increasing and that this represents a growing threat for the spread of TADs. This has been demonstrated by several recent occurrences, particularly the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemic of 2001 in the United Kingdom and the extent of global public concern expressed about such events. There is, therefore, an increasing interest, both within developing countries and within the donor community, in improving the veterinary services in developing countries, specifically to improve control over the spread of TADs.
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Dr Juan Lubroth, Senior Officer, EMPRES Infectious Diseases Group, outlined the objectives of the meeting. These were to develop strategies to ensure that, in the face of challenges to national veterinary services, the capacities for early warning and early response to TAD incursions were not lost. He stressed the need to share experiences of what has or has not worked in the past, the need to define what is expected from public good veterinary services in the future and to find ways of convincing supporting organizations to provide the appropriate assistance. Finally, he emphasized that it was essential to promote the growing acceptance of the need to work with the community in order to find effective mechanisms for animal disease containment.
The meeting was attended by experts in various aspects of veterinary science and animal production, partnership organizations such as OIE, AU/IBAR, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the World Bank, the European Union (EU), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Joint FAO/IAEA Division and FAO staff (field and headquarters), and observers. Technical presentations were made by experts and other participants and were followed by vigorous discussions and debates. The conclusions and recommendations of the expert consultation to the FAO Assistant Director-General are outlined below.
On the issue of decentralization of government veterinary services
The expert consultation recognized that effective line management from the central veterinary authority to operational staff in the field is a vital component of TAD control |
The expert consultation recognized that effective line management from the central veterinary authority to operational staff in the field is a vital component of TAD control. The widespread trend of encouraging decentralization of government services, with what has often been a loss of both financial control and line-management responsibilities from central government to the field, is one of the major concerns with regard to livestock disease control. In particular, in the context of World Bank conditionalities for funding, national government veterinary departments are not well briefed on the options available to them in presenting the need for maintaining line-management control.
The expert consultation recommended that EMPRES and World Bank staff develop a paper outlining the specific constraints placed on TAD control by the process of decentralization of government budgets and responsibilities and describing the means by which exceptions can be made to the process, within World Bank conditionalities, in order to maintain centralized authority for transboundary livestock disease control.
Project formulation
The expert consultation recognized the importance of the following issues in presenting the case for support for TAD control to policy-makers:
The consultation recommended that EMPRES collaborate with the European Commission in developing a concept paper to provide guidance to developing countries on improving their strategy for gaining access to EU support for TAD control.
Poverty-focused delivery of veterinary services
Given the fundamental importance of livestock to the rural poor in Africa and the need to develop appropriate primary veterinary services in rural areas, it was recommended that EMPRES promote the need for the state veterinary services to both learn from and contribute to the formulation of national poverty reduction strategies and the participatory poverty-assessment process.
Updating the FAO Guidelines for strengthening animal health services in developing countries
The expert consultation recommended that the FAO document Guidelines for strengthening animal health services in developing countries be reviewed in the light of changes that have occurred since its publication in 1991, in particular recognizing the need to take into account the OIE guidelines for the evaluation of veterinary services.
Global plan for action against transboundary animal diseases
The OIE/FAO International Scientific Conference on Foot-and-Mouth Disease, held in Paris in April 2001, recognized the need to give special attention to internationally coordinated programmes for the control of rinderpest, FMD and classical and African swine fevers. A framework for global action will be developed over the next year, within which different regions of the world and national governments can develop their priorities. The expert consultation endorsed this initiative.
Mechanisms should be developed to enable national veterinary services and international agencies, including FAO, to promote more strongly the needs and benefits of TAD control at all levels, from national policy-makers to the livestock community |
Veterinary service delivery systems in remote and insecure areas
Community-based animal health (CAH) delivery systems in remote, underserved areas are key tools in strengthening the veterinary services of developing countries. Quality veterinary services are essential for TAD control and eradication.
It was recommended that EMPRES provide further support and guidance to the development of CAH delivery systems. In doing so, EMPRES should take into account the role of farmers' associations and the possibility of integrating CAH delivery systems into general development programmes, including conflict-management initiatives.
Given the importance of community participation in the control of TADs and the need to improve the two-way flow of information on TADs between communities and national epidemiology, EMPRES should promote the wider use of participatory epidemiology by government veterinary services.
Improving awareness
The expert consultation concluded that national veterinary services are generally not highly successful in promoting the need for TAD control to their policy-makers and that this deficiency is reflected in the levels of both national budget and success in obtaining donor support.
It was recommended that mechanisms be developed to enable national veterinary services and international agencies, including FAO, to promote more strongly the needs and benefits of TAD control at all levels, from national policy-makers to the livestock community.
Zoning and trade
There is an increasing realization that trade in livestock and livestock products is vital for development in many regions of the world. All issues that impede trade, including TADs and food safety, need to be addressed to access lucrative markets. This task may include consideration of the need for regional guidelines for trade, not as standards inferior to international ones, but as a means of achieving progressive improvements in sanitary standards for trade in livestock and livestock products.
It was recommended that efforts be devised to define more clearly the technical, marketing, financial and sociological constraints to such trade and to identify strategies and mechanisms for overcoming them. One approach that should be investigated is the feasibility of establishing export zones within countries, possibly through private/public partnerships, where production, certified disease control, transportation and marketing efforts can be concentrated.
