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Pastoralists produce food in the world’s driest, coldest, hottest as well as mountainous environments, yet they are often misunderstood and marginalized. They not only sustain vibrant and culturally unique communities, but are also linked with many other people who depend on their activities. Pastoral production systems produce a variety of products and services from multiple sources in the ecosystem. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports pastoralists and agro-pastoralists worldwide in a wide range of areas to promote food security, resilient livelihoods, pastoral economies and healthy environments. This product is part of a broader series composed by several [...]

The five-year Peste des Petits Ruminant Global Eradication Programme (PPR-GEP) highlights the technical and policy tools foreseen as appropriate to lay the foundation for and commencement of PPR eradication by reducing the prevalence of PPR in currently infected countries. The programme will also develop capacity for non-infected countries to demonstrate the absence of PPR Virus leading towards official endorsement of PPR free status by the OIE. During its course, the programme will strengthen national Veterinary Service that are the key players in the successful implementation of the PPR GEP. When appropriate, the programme will also support reducing the prevalence of [...]

Transboundary animal diseases (terrestrial and aquatic), plant pests and diseases (agriculture and forest plants) and Food safety hazards, are raising public awareness for their potential impact on food and nutrition security, human health, livelihoods, and trade. The ability to predict FCC threats through a forecasting process is imperative for Governments to act quickly by taking necessary measures to prevent these threats, limit their geographic spread and minimize their impact. To address this challenge, FAO Food Chain Crisis-Intelligence and Coordination Unit (FCC-ICU) developed an Integrated Forecasting Approach. See also the quarterly Early Warning Bulletins that integrate information on threats to the food chain [...]

The LEAP (Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance) Partnership is a multi-stakeholder initiative that is committed to improving the environmental performance of livestock supply chains, whilst ensuring its economic and social viability.  Farmers, consumers and other livestock stakeholders are increasingly in need of more information about the environmental performance and the sustainability of livestock supply chains. Although a wide range of environmental assessment methods have been developed, there is a need for comparative and standardized indicators in order to switch focus of dialogue with stakeholders from methodological issues to improvement measures.  LEAP develops comprehensive guidance and methodology for understanding the environmental performance of [...]

Strengthening livelihoods through control of Peste des Petits Ruminants With almost 70 percent of the global sheep and goat population at risk of Pestedes PetitsRuminants (PPR) -Sheep and Goat Plague, significant efforts are needed to consolidate the livelihoods, nutrition and food security of millions of livestock holders, in particular in Asia and Africa. In this context, the project contributed to filling gaps in existing strategies for control of the disease and supported the formulation of new ones in West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa and Central Asia. It also reviewed and updated the subregionalstrategy for Southeast Asia. Project duration: 01/01/2015  - 01/12/2016 [...]

Categorizing livestock breeds and their production systems in Liberia The project conducted a comprehensive survey and characterization of the genetic resources and their production systems in Liberia, which is crucial to develop a national plan for animal genetic resources management aimed at increasing domestic livestock production to meet domestic demand and implementing sustainable livestock research and development plans. Project duration: 01/08/2014  - 01/12/2016

STRENGTHENING CONTROL OF FOOD-AND-MOUTH DISEASE IN MOZAMBIQUE Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is prevalent in Mozambique and livestock farmers who entirely rely on the well-being and marketability of their animals need to be protected from severe economic losses caused by movement restrictions related to the disease. The project aimed to contribute to the development of capacities to better tackle the progressive control and eradication of FMD and help improve the animal health situation in the country. Project duration: 01/10/2014  - 01/09/2016

Households living in rural areas of developing countries rely on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods and, as such, are highly dependent on climatic conditions. This paper aims at presenting empirical evidence from Zambia to better understand the linkages between climatic shocks, livelihood diversification and welfare outcomes with the goal of highlighting potential policy entry points to incentivize the types of diversification aimed at improving food security and resilience to climate shocks. We also investigate the role of different institutions in shaping diversification decisions to shed some light into potential policy levers at institutional level. We analyze diversification of crops, livestock and income using nationally representative household data from [...]

The following recommendations have been elaborated building upon the main findings of the CFS High Level Panel of Expert’s report on Sustainable agricultural development for food security and nutrition: what roles for livestock? The sustainable development of agriculture, including livestock, is essential for poverty reduction and the achievement of food security and nutrition. The recommendations aim to strengthen the contribution of the livestock sector1 to sustainable agricultural development for food security and nutrition (FSN) and contribute to the progressive realization of the right to adequate food, in the overall context of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recognizing the [...]

This report addresses the economic, environmental and social dimensions of agricultural development, with the objective of ensuring food and nutrition security, in terms of availability, access, utilization and stability. It focuses on the livestock component of agricultural systems, given the role of livestock as an engine for the development of the agriculture and food sector, and as a driver of major economic, social and environmental changes in food systems worldwide. The report identifies challenges to the achievement of sustainability in livestock systems and possible pathways towards sustainable agricultural development that contribute to current and future food security and nutrition. The report concludes with recommendations for appropriate [...]