©FAO/Liberia

20 November 2019, Monrovia— A strong veterinary workforce will enhance the effectiveness of the surveillance systems; improve disease reporting and responses to outbreaks.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and relevant stakeholders in the agricultural sector have endorsed for the first time a ten-year Veterinary Workforce Development Strategy (VWDS) that will enhance the veterinary workforce of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The event, organized by FAO-Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development-USAID through the Global Health Security Agenda-GHSA Programme, brought together experts from the human and animal health sectors to deliberate, validate and endorse the VWDS.

Developing a workforce strategy will enhance livestock delivery

Dr. Abebe Wolde, ECTAD Country Team Leader, underscored the relevance of developing a workforce strategy that will enhance the capacity of the veterinary services.

He added that any future development plan in the livestock sector cannot be realized unless a strong veterinary service is put in place. “Enhancing the veterinary workforce development strategy is critical to the Ministry of Agriculture. This plays a valuable role in improving the livestock production and productivity as well as protecting the public from zoonotic diseases and food safety hazards.”

Dr. Wolde mentioned that the VWDS developed by FAO and MoA is intended to provide the framework for human capacity development. “With support from the USAID/Global Health Security Agenda program, FAO will continue to provide the needed human capacity development support to the MoA.”

Prof Edward Smith, Chairman, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Liberia, thanked the USAID and FAO for supporting the MoA in developing a veterinary workforce development strategy to help build and strengthen human capacity of the MoA. He added that the College of Agriculture and Forestry would continue to support the MoA.    

Also speaking, Dr. Fatma Soud, Senior Advisor for infectious diseases said that the United States Government through the UASID-GHSA would continue to assist the Government and people of Liberia to build a more vibrant One Health sector.

She also added that the United States Government and Liberia has a decade of partnership and collaboration and want to see the improvement of the health and animal sectors of Liberia. She applauded the work of the staff of the Central Veterinary Laboratory and Epidemiology Unit, “I am impressed with the level of work you have done in the field; especially when you have not been given the basic training.”

In remarks, Hon. Robert Fagan, Deputy Minister for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that MoA appreciate all the many contributions been provided by the development partners including the USAID and FAO in improving the agriculture sector. “We cannot achieve our development priorities without the assistance of our partners.”

He described the development of a veterinary workforce development strategy as a “milestone” in moving the sector forward “We extend profound gratitude to USAID for providing the financial support to FAO for developing the human capacity of the Ministry.”  The deputy minister also assured participants that his ministry will do its level best to translate the strategy into action.