16 February 2017, Rome--- A three day emergency meeting dealing with issues of emerging pests and diseases in Southern Africa concludes today in Harare, Zimbabwe. The region is experiencing an upsurge of new crop and livestock diseases that are threatening the livelihood of a big portion of the population that depends on agriculture for subsistence. The region is also on alert for a possible outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza that has already been confirmed in Egypt, Nigeria and Uganda.