| Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is a viral animal disease that affects cattle, buffaloes, pigs, sheep, goats and various wildlife species. Though the FMD had been largely controlled in North America and in some Pacific nations and Western Europe, it remains endemic across large swathes of Eurasia, the Middle East, Africa and a few countries in South America. Although FMD doesn’t directly affect human beings, its negative impacts livestock production and disruptive effect on regional and international trade in animals and animal products are a cause for concern. FMD in low and middle income countries results in production losses, reduced household income and food insecurity especially among subsistence farmers. |
