The natural resources for agriculture in the Near East are limited. Except for Sudan and Turkey, there are very limited land reserves remaining for horizontal expansion in arable agriculture. Yield increase and increased cropping intensity are the only avenues still open. However, the fact that 66 percent of the agriculturally-suitable areas are permanent pastures indicates a reasonable potential for livestock production when compared to crop production in the Region. In addition, most of the land classified as waste and barren, about 57 percent of the total land area, is classified as rangeland and provides significant feed resources to the nomadic and trans- human livestock populations.

The livestock sector, in particular sheep and goats, plays an important role in the national economy of the Region countries. The percentage of the Gross National Product (GNP) generated from agriculture in the high-income countries of the Region varies from 1 to 4 percent and in the low-income countries varies from 23 to 55 percent (as in the case of Somalia). Based on FAO projections, about 30 percent of the gross value of agricultural output of the Region was provided from livestock production in the year 2000. The region has more than 82 million cattle, 340 million small ruminants (sheep and goats) and 11 million camels.

Livestock products contribute significantly to the diets of both the rural and fast-growing urban populations. The average protein content is higher than that found in Sub-Saharan Africa or the Far Eastern diets, with meat and milk forming an important component.  However, these relatively high levels of consumption are supported by import of animals and their meat from abroad. Of particular note here is the substantial imports of small ruminants for the major Muslim festivals (Ramadan & Eids). Therefore if productivity can be improved, there should be scope for import substitution for the Region as a whole. Priorities were given to creating a set of networks: 

The monitoring and control of infectious animal diseases, in order to prevent their introduction or spread in all NENA countries, is the responsibility of the respective State Veterinary Services. Although their administrative structures, legal powers and operative tools vary, in all countries these are based upon laws and regulations dealing with notifiable diseases. In several countries, veterinary diagnostic laboratories and research institutes provide the necessary support to the Veterinary Services. Veterinary faculties, within the framework of State universities, are also potential supporters of diagnostic and research activities.

In recent years, some of these Services have undergone changes and restructuring, or are presently undergoing such changes. Examples: 

Most of the countries in the Region import both live animals and animal products, either from countries within or from outside the Region, a situation that  requires applying strict animal quarantine measures. The livestock sector already faces the problem of increasing demand, which would become more acute through losses due to rises in animal diseases.  Even if this sector managed to improve; the transboundary animal diseases could make it an untradable commodity and, furthermore, would have a devastating impact on the household supply of animal protein. Animal health, transboundary animal diseases, livestock trade, import of livestock products, quarantine and zoonotic diseases are therefore becoming serious issues within decision-making circles in the Region. Indeed, in some cases these issues have become national issues. Rinderpest, Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Rift Valley Fever (RVF), Old World Screwworm (OWS), Brucellosis and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) for example, have become regular topics for the agenda, not only in meetings between Chief Veterinary Officers (CVO’s), but at higher level meetings even between heads of states.

FAO/EMPRES was conceived and implemented in 1994 to strengthen FAO’s role in championing the goal of enhanced world food security, through focusing on the prevention of transboundary animal diseases and plant pests. The EMPRES-Livestock aim is: “to promote the effective containment and control of the most serious epidemic livestock diseases, as well as newly emerging diseases by progressive elimination on a regional and global basis through international co-operation involving early warning, early/rapid reaction, enabling research and co-ordination”.  Thus while the prime thrust of the EMPRES-Livestock component is on rinderpest, it also addresses other diseases of importance to this Region, including Foot-and Mouth–Disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Rift Valley fever (RVF), lumpy skin disease, and Newcastle disease of poultry.

RADISCON, the Regional Animal Disease Surveillance and Control Network project (RADISCON), was a joint FAO/IFAD endeavour targeted at 29 countries, including 22 countries from the RNE Region, and aims to promote animal disease surveillance within and amongst countries. The project consists of assisting each individual country to establish its own National Animal Disease Surveillance System (NADSS). Communication between participating countries can take place electronically, using Internet/ electronic mail facilities.

Phase II RADISCON, is the "Regional Animal Disease Surveillance And Control Network For North Africa, The Middle East and the Arab Peninsula.”  (for Pdf map of RADISCON clusters...  ).  A project proposal has been submitted to donors for funding of this program that will build on the achievements of the first phase of RADISCON through:

¤     Increased understanding of in-country and regional priority disease situations through practical use of surveillance techniques and information technology; and

¤     Enhanced exchange of disease information and networking in the Region. Noteworthy to mention is that AHCNENA and RADISCON will work together in a complementary pattern. Copies from RADISCON Phase II project document could be acquired from AHCNENA.

The proposal for establishing an Animal Health Commission for the Near East was put forward in the 25th Regional Conference for the Near East in Beirut, Lebanon, 20-24 March 2000 (for documentation… press here).  The proposal was accepted and unanimously approved by the conference, in which 22 countries of the Region participated and twelve Ministers of Agriculture were in attendance. The support for AHCNENA was reiterated during the 26th Regional Conference for the Near East which was held in Tehran-Iran from  9th to 11th March, 2002. The Animal Health Commission for Near East and North Africa (AHCNENA) will cover animal diseases with the highest economic cost in the Near East Region,which are: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Rinderpest, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Brucellosis and Old World Screwworm (OWS).

The Regional Office for the Near East (RNE) has established a regional web site AHCNENAto compile database on the livestock in the region, including a database on production, trade, primary animal health care, a buffalo newsletter, a camel newsletter, veterinary vaccine production and lists of publications produced regionally by  RNE to cover livestock and a who is who (officials),animal health circulars and CV's for livestock specialists in the region.

Animal Health Commission for Near East and North Africa:

http://www.ahcnena.net

World Organization for Animal Health: