New world screwworm eradication from Central America
Workshop on strategies for the development of fat-tailed sheep in the Near East
Expert consultation on dairy development
Animal Production and Health Division · Division de la production et de la santé animales · Dirección de Producción y Sanidad Animal
Following the successful eradication of the New World screwworm (NWS) from the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, which was reported in the last edition of World Animal Review, it can now also be said that its eradication from Central America is progressing well. Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are currently being treated with sterile NWS flies. Treatment is scheduled to begin soon in Nicaragua, followed by Costa Rica and Panama.
The "free fly" dispersal method is being used extensively. It is proving to be an excellent method of dispersing sterile flies and it costs less than the box method. It will be the standard sterile NWS dispersal method used under most conditions.
Progress on the planned sterile NWS factory to be built in Panama has received a set-back - the anticipated funding from the United States Government did not materialize. Funds from international sources are currently being sought. The new factory is needed very soon, as the one in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico, must undergo extensive maintenance to bring it up to the required standards for fly security so far behind the eradication front.
In the long term, it will be an advantage if the Panama NWS rearing facility is international rather than the property of any one country. The NWS is an insect found all over the world and the eradication programmes are nearly always international. The first NWS experiment using the sterile insect technique (SIT) in Curaçoa, Venezuela, was a cooperative undertaking between the Governments of the Netherlands and the United States.
NWS in Mexico. Since 22 January 1992, 60 cases of NWS have been reported in Mexico. The last and most northerly of these was detected on 30 September 1992, about 300 km south of the United States border. Intensive surveillance and quarantine activities are in place, including the weekly release of 81 million sterile flies in the affected areas.
NWS cases in humans. Although there have been reports of humans infested with NWS during the past decade, they have been few. It now seems, however, that this apparently low number of human NWS cases may be wrong. Reports made at the First Latin American Workshop on Vector Control, which was held in Trujillo, Venezuela, from 10 to 18 October 1992, indicate that humans are one of the most affected animal species in Colombia and Venezuela. Furthermore, large numbers of NWS cases in humans have been reported from El Salvador by the NWS eradication programme there. It seems probable that myiasis caused by the NWS in humans is a more serious public health problem than was previously thought.
This workshop, which was held from 5 to 9 October 1992 at Çukurova University in Adana, Turkey, was attended by 26 participants from ten countries in the Near East and North Africa. It was sponsored by the Animal Production and Health Division of FAO in collaboration with the host university, the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the European Association for Animal Production (EAAP) and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (ICAMAS). Topics such as management, nutrition and breed improvement were discussed in several plenary sessions. Since most efforts in the region have been concentrated on the Awassi sheep because of its potential milk production, it was noted that other important fat-tailed breeds such as the White Karaman were not receiving enough attention. Recommendations were made for greater regional cooperation, including reactivating the regional small ruminant network. Proposals were put forward to support a regional programme for the development of the Awassi sheep, including the continuation of screening for superior animals so that the considerable variation within the populations can be exploited. Funds will be requested for the standardization of recording procedures, which would allow for the direct comparison of breeds/strains within the region. The possibility of a joint FAO/ICARDA programme to assess feed resources within the region was considered.
The FAO Expert Consultation on Dairy Development held in Rome from 2 to 4 July 1991 recommended that emphasis be placed on the exchange of information on dairy development activities. In the light of this recommendation, FAO is organizing a workshop on this topic in collaboration with the Department of Research and Special Services of the Zimbabwe Department of Agriculture to take place at Harare in July 1993.
The workshop will facilitate the exchange of experiences between Africa and Asia in the true spirit of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC). A special presentation will be made on the Amul model developed under Operation Flood in India.
The value of this meeting will be enhanced by the staging of an exhibition of small-scale dairy equipment designed for rural milk processing and handling and to be manufactured predominantly in Africa and Asia.
For further details please contact J.C. Lambert, Senior Officer, Dairy Development, Animal Production and Health Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
