The livestock sector in Lebanon is currently facing many challenges related to the economic crisis the country is experiencing. The capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture to fight infectious animal diseases has been significantly diminished because it lacks the financial resources needed to procure essential vaccines. Lebanon, similar to other countries in the Middle East, has few endemic diseases that affect cattle by impairing their proper production and causing mortality.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is one of the diseases that threaten livestock in the country due to outbreaks in neighbouring Syrian Arab Republic. Outbreaks of such infectious diseases can have serious economic impacts for herders. The disease is vector borne and is mainly controlled by vaccination. In previous years, Lebanon was able to control it using a heterologous LSD vaccine. However, the country was not able to provide the vaccine to local producers recently because of the lack of funds. The absence of vaccinations may lead to high economic losses and affect the livelihoods of small-scale dairy farmers. 

The Government of the Kingdom of Belgium, through SFERA, contributed USD 100 000 to the FAO project entitled, “Support the effort of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture towards controlling lumpy skin disease.” Through a vaccination campaign, the project aims to reduce the burden of LSD, which has an impact on production and trading. Thanks to Belgium’s support, FAO Lebanon will reach at least 6 000 small-scale livestock keepers (10 000 people).