Prevention is better than cure: Strengthening biosecurity in livestock and aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Live Broadcast

Introduction

The increase and intensification of animal production have led to significant changes in the way animals are raised and managed. While these changes have made it possible to meet the growing demand for animal products, they have also presented challenges in terms of animal health and the emergence of endemic, emerging, and transboundary diseases, particularly zoonotic diseases and those that restrict production and trade.

The livestock sector contributes 46% of Latin America's Gross Agricultural Domestic Product and represents an important livelihood for the region's most vulnerable communities. Most farmers are small-scale ranchers, often women and pastoralists, who rely mainly on family labor and have limited resources to implement preventive measures for the introduction of diseases that impact animal production.

Aquaculture should be a fundamental part of the actions promoted to increase the availability and access to high nutritional quality food. In 2020, aquaculture in the region produced a total of 3.75 million tons of food products (excluding algae production).

In the 1990s, however, the emergence and spread of new and persistent diseases began to present challenges to farmers, governments, scientists, international technical organizations, and aid agencies.

To address these challenges, adopting sound biosecurity practices and promoting sustainable and resilient animal production management is essential. In addition, continuous monitoring and research are crucial to rapidly detect and control emerging diseases. Public-private collaboration, scientific development, and the promotion of innovation and technology are critical to ensure the health and welfare of animals and people. Biosecurity is essential not only to protect animal health and welfare but also to ensure food and nutrition security and public health.

The main objective of biosecurity is to minimize the risk of the introduction and spread of pathogens in aquaculture farms or animal production facilities. Key measures to consider include general biosecurity measures (access control, disinfection, visitor management, quarantine, etc.); disease surveillance; use of antimicrobials; vaccination; waste management; training, and emergency preparedness plans.

How do we prepare for improved biosecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean? What impact could the emergence of serious diseases have on food and nutrition security and the livelihoods of populations that depend on these activities? What strategies can be implemented to address health risks in the context of climate change?

A panel of experts will address these and other questions in a 90-minute webinar.

Panelists

Panelists	Speaker Topic
Alejandro Rivera Animal Health Specialist FAO	Risk communication and biosecurity in small producers
Melba Reantaso Aquaculture Officer International Biosecurity Expert FAO, Rome	The Progressive Management Pathway for Biosecurity in Aquaculture (PMP/AB)
Melissa McLaws Risk Management Specialist FAO	Progressive Management Pathway for Terrestrial Animal Biosecurity (PMP-TAB)
Marc Le Groumellec Aquaculture consultant	Importance of public-private partnerships in aquaculture biosecurity
Victoria Alday Director of Biosecurity, Broodstock Programs and Research and Development NAQUA, Saudi Arabia.	Biosecurity challenges in aquaculture.