Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today opened its first-ever Global Conference on Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centres and Vaccines, aimed at tackling animal diseases costing the world hundreds of billions of dollars annually and posing a threat to human health, global food security and livelihoods.
“The productivity and resilience of livestock systems worldwide are threatened by infectious diseases, emerging pathogens, endemic disease burdens, and climate change,” FAO Chief Scientist ad interim Beth Crawford said in opening remarks. Addressing these challenges calls for “a united effort, leveraging our collective expertise and resources,” she added.
Significant step
The three-day event represents a “unique opportunity to explore how to integrate existing mechanisms and knowledge with new and improved tools to reduce the global burden of animal disease,” Crawford said.
Participants include Girma Amente, Minis