FAO-OIE-AU/IBAR-IAEA
Consultative Group Meeting on CBPP in
Africa
Towards sustainable CBPP control programmes for
Africa
(Rome, 12 - 14 November 2003)
Ms. F. Guerrieri,
Chief, Emergency Operations,
TCEO
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is indeed an honour and pleasure to be asked by the Animal Health Service (AGAH) of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to give the opening address at the Third Consultative Group Meeting on contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). It is my fervent hope that this gathering of eminent scientists, field officers, laboratory diagnosticians and representatives of the international community will put their ideas together and provide practical solutions that address the theme chosen for this meeting; “Towards sustainable CBPP control programmes for Africa”.
According to Office International des épizooties (OIE) reports, CBPP is essentially confined to Africa. The effect of the disease on beef, milk and crop production through the use of plough oxen is devastating with particular implications for food security and poverty levels within countries affected by CBPP. The onerous responsibility of ensuring sustainable control strategies for the disease so as to support and improve the livelihoods of many in Africa who depend on cattle farming for sustenance, relies to a large extent on the outcome and follow up actions emanating from this meeting.
We in the Emergency Operations Service (TCEO) of FAO have the responsibility for ensuring that projects and activities categorised as emergencies are designed to meet urgent and immediate needs arising from unexpected calamities including animal disease outbreaks, which affect or are expected to affect food and agricultural outputs of countries. The emergency interventions from TCEO are directed essentially towards resumed productivity or the containment for the decline in productivity. It is in this connection that the synergy between the activities of EMPRES - Livestock in progressive control of transboundary animal diseases and that of TCEO are to be viewed or assessed. Some of us are aware of the difficulties some countries face in convincing national treasuries to finance veterinary/livestock services in the absence of epidemic diseases such as CBPP. Secondly, we also recognize the difficulties for national veterinary services to convince governments to finance effective prevention and progressive control of livestock epidemic diseases against a backdrop of competing immediate needs of social, health, education and other agricultural systems on national treasuries.
Despite these recognitions, sustained livestock production and trade in livestock products are practically impossible in the presence of epidemic diseases such as CBPP. This particular disease as you all know, has contributed to great economic losses and thus to increased poverty levels in many parts of Africa. Those of us in FAO look to a deep analysis and critical assessment of various control options at this meeting. Your recommendations on how to sustain control strategies for CBPP that could lead to the reduction of poverty will be eagerly expected.
At this juncture, let me digress from the focus of my address to pay a brief tribute to a colleague who has served the FAO Animal Health Service for almost 12 years as Chief of that Service and is due to retire from FAO in two weeks time. He is - Dr. Yves Cheneau. This meeting being perhaps one of his last official international engagements in AGAH as a staff member, I take this opportunity to acknowledge his high sense of duty, dedication and professionalism and to wish him well in retirement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the task before you is daunting especially given the tract record of CBPP control in Africa and the current situation of further spread of the disease especially in Southern Africa. However with the calibre of technical personnel present at this meeting, I am confident that innovative ideas on sustainable strategies for CBPP control will be forthcoming.
I declare the meeting duly open and wish you fruitful deliberations.
Thank you.
