In response to the call to reduce the annual losses in domestic poultry production from the Newcastle Disease (NCD), FAO, through the  Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change in The Gambia Project (AACCP) in collaboration with the Directorate of Livestock Services (DLS) supported  vaccination of domestic poultry against this deadly disease at a cost of GMD 1,645,800.

This is part of FAO’s continuous support towards ensuring food security in The Gambia through the sustainable control of livestock diseases like the NCD. The Department of Livestock Services visited   villages and vaccinated chickens  mostly owned  by rural women and youth as key actors for securing household food and nutrition security. Cognizant of the socio-economic importance of domestic poultry, the vaccination campaign was carried out in project intervention sites of NBR, CRRN and URRN.

Newcastle Disease is a highly contagious viral disease of birds including domestic fowls (chicken). The disease is endemic in The Gambia with surges of epidemic out-breaks annually that may wipe out a significant numbers of poultry.  Domestic poultry is the livestock species mostly owned by vulnerable rural households. Increasing their productivity secures livelihoods, provides and important source of income and protein and makes a contribution towards   food and nutrition security.

The 2016 Livestock Census reported that disease out-breaks are the main reasons for low productivity of domestic poultry. Attaining sustainable food security remains difficult while vast numbers of poultry die annually from preventable diseases.

FAO supports disease prevention and control programmes such as vaccination campaigns as the most cost-effective means for prevention, control and even eradication of infectious animal diseases in the country. Vaccination against NCD is a cost-effective strategy to increase the productivity of traditional poultry. This will assist in poverty alleviation and the improvement of food security.

It is envisaged that vaccinating domestic poultry in the 10 districts of NBR, CRRN and URRN will immensely protect these resources will support farmers build on wealth from this stock and as well protect the production schemes and the cockerels funded by the project.

With high vaccination, coverages in the 10 intervention districts will prevent outbreaks of these diseases and as such, increase in production and productivity that will increase incomes through livestock sales and increase intake of animal protein.