Launch of FAO project to strengthen animal health capacity and One Health approach in Madagascar

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is launching the "Strengthening Animal Health Capacity and One Health to Prevent and Mitigate Risks and Threats Related to Zoonotic Diseases, Food Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Madagascar" project, which will be implemented by the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD). The launch took place over two days, on 8 and 9 April 2024 in Antananarivo.

Prevention and control of zoonotic diseases

The aim of this project is to provide support to Madagascar's animal health services to meet the requirements of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) due to Madagascar facing several emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. The island's rich biodiversity, combined with climatic hazards and deforestation, has been identified as a breeding ground for threats such as cholera, plague and Rift Valley fever (RVF).

During the launch, discussions focused on the practical implementation of the project, adopting an inclusive and multi-sectoral programmatic approach with all stakeholders involved in the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases and AMR in Madagascar.

The event will bring together stakeholders from the "One Health" Platform, the Multisectoral Committee for the Fight against AMR, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Public Health, Agriculture and Livestock, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Education and Scientific Research, including institutions such as the Institut Pasteur of Madagascar (IPM), the Interprofession avicole de Madagascar, the Malagasy Institute for Veterinary Vaccines, and many others involved in the fight against zoonotic diseases and AMR.

In his speech, Mbuli Charles Boliko, FAO Representative in Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles, eloquently expressed the importance of capacity building in animal health and the "One Health" approach in preventing health risks in Madagascar: "Together, through knowledge sharing and concerted action, we can safeguard human, animal, plant and environmental health. Capacity-building and collaboration are essential to tackle health challenges and ensure a safer future for all". The government also attaches great importance to the "One Health" approach and highlights its effectiveness in tackling complex health challenges. The discussions highlighted the vital link between the health of human, animal and environmental populations.

The five-year project "Strengthening animal health capacities and One Health to prevent and mitigate risks and threats related to zoonotic diseases, food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Madagascar", Madagascar, with the support of the FAO and the US government, is committed to working together to improve food safety.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), FAO will collaborate with several ministries including Public Health, Agriculture and Livestock, Environment and Sustainable Development, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, and Education and Scientific Research.