The China Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians (CFETPV) and university academics networks conducted their first joint workshop in Jingzhou, Hubei Province from 21st to 25th November 2016. The first two days focused on case study development, while the remaining three days focused on the application of value chain analysis. The workshop was organized by the Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and China Animal Health and Epidemiology Centre (CAHEC) with FAO’s support. It aimed at facilitating the sustainability of veterinary epidemiology capacity building by developing curriculums, course materials and the case bank with Chinese context, and enhancing participants’ understanding on value chain analysis to promote its application in China. Around 20 participants attended the 5-day workshop, including university academics from China Agricultural University, Huazhong Agricultural University, South China Agricultural University, Shandong Agricultural University, Henan Agricultural University and Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, and Chinese trainers and graduates from the CFETPV program.

During the workshop, participants reviewed ‘the basic veterinary epidemiology training manual’, which was developed by the CFETPV Chinese trainers in 2016, and discussed the workplan for the course materials and case study development in 2017. The last three-day workshop also invited Prof Dirk Pfeiffer and Dr Guillaume Fournie to attend. Prof Pfeiffer gave a lecture on the brief introduction of value chain analysis (VCA), and some international examples were also shared by Dr Fournie. Most participants expressed that their understanding on the linkage among value chain mapping, risk assessment, network analysis and value chain analysis was improved. Several participatory sessions were conducted to stimulate participants’ thinking about how to apply VCA for the disease control in China. Through the organization of such joint activity, the linkage between the university academics and CFETPV networks has been strengthened.