Edition: 25 March to 5 April 2024
![]() ©FAO/Makara Hak | CAMBODIA US Senate Representative visits collaborative efforts against avian influenza at O Russey live bird market On 2 April 2024, Mr Paul Grove, Clerk for the US Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, visited the O Russey live bird market in Phnom Penh. He visited the poultry slaughter point, where he gained a better understanding of the strong collaboration between the General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP), FAO, the Institute Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in the preparedness and control of avian influenza (AI) in high-risk areas. This visit was an opportunity to understand how the United States of America-Cambodia cooperation in advancing global health security by helping Cambodia to better prevent, monitor and respond to emerging infectious disease threats, including AI. |
![]() ©FAO/Rindu Putri | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC FAO ECTAD’s seventeenth annual regional meeting strengthens coordination and strategy FAO ECTAD recently concluded its seventeenth annual regional meeting (AREM) in Bali, Indonesia, held from 26 to 29 March 2024. This year’s event focused on strengthening coordination, coherence and alignment across 13 Member Nations, facilitating insightful discussions, sharing of success stories and evaluating strategies for output delivery. Amidst evolving landscapes in financial resources, geographical expansion and global priorities, the seventeenth AREM prioritized on maintaining core strengths in program coordination. It provided a crucial platform for FAO ECTAD to review ongoing initiatives, re-evaluate future directions and ensure effective program delivery in dynamic environments. Additionally, the meeting introduced the 2024-2028 Regional Strategic Guidance of ECTAD, a framework designed through a consultative approach. This guidance serves as an overarching framework for ECTAD teams to tailor projects and programmes to local contexts, ensuring alignment with relevant global initiatives such as Sustainable Development Goals, FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and the Global Health Security Agenda. With an emphasis on a programmatic approach, the guidance aims to address emerging challenges and foster resilience in the region's animal health and agricultural sector over the next five years. |
![]() ©FAO/Ratmoko Saputro | INDONESIA Livestock and animal health policy brief development and law revision meeting |
![]() ©FAO/Frank Pumipuntu | THAILAND AND ASIA AND THE PACIFIC FAO deepens collaboration with Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development FAO recently visited Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development (DLD) on 3 April 2024, with the aim to deepening our partnership and exploring future collaboration opportunities. Discussions during the meeting focused on streamlining administrative procedures related to current FAO-DLD activities, such as the regional field epidemiology training programme for veterinarians, to ensure operational clarity and efficiency. Plans for future collaborations between FAO and DLD were also explored, reflecting shared commitment to advancing livestock development in Thailand. |
![]() ©FAO/Kachen Wongsathapornchai | THAILAND World schools debating championship 2024 FAO RAP ECTAD Regional Manager Dr Kachen Wongsathapornchai was invited to speak about sustainable livestock transformation during the awarding ceremony for the Thailand Schools Debating Championship (TWSDC) 2024 at the International Community School (ICS) in Bangkok last 24 March 2024. More than a hundred students from 11 schools in Bangkok participated in the event. Dr Kachen challenged the champion debaters to think about the prospect of producing more food animals by 2050. He emphasized that while the issue is intricate, solutions can be as simple as finishing one's food. This message resonated with the students, highlighting the importance of individual actions in addressing global challenges.
Learn more about our partnerships here.
|
Learn more about our work on partnerships here.
|
![]() ©fao/Humayra Nowrin | BANGLADESH Raising awareness on antimicrobial resistance and usage FAO and Bangladesh AMR Response Alliance (BARA) organized a sensitization workshop aimed at raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial usage (AMU) on 24 March 2024. The event, attended by 250 veterinary and medical interns and students from Haji Danesh University of Science and Technology and M. Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital, was supported by USAID and the Fleming Fund. The Director of M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital Dr ATM Nuruzzaman and the Dean Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Haji Danesh University of Science and Technology Dr Umm Salma inaugurated the workshop, expressing optimism to tackle AMR together. The workshop featured engaging activities, including AMR quiz competition, as well as an awareness campaign conducted by distributing AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) classification posters and banners across both campuses. |
Learn more about our work on AMR here.
|
![]() ©FAO/Shinta Rachman | INDONESIA Performance of veterinary services preliminary result meeting
In collaboration with the Ministry of Indonesia, and with support from the Australian Government, FAO facilitated a technical meeting on the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) preliminary result in Jakarta from 25 to 26 March 2024. The meeting discussed the preliminary report of the PVS conducted in October 2023 by the WOAH PVS Pathway experts that had been shared with Indonesia. The meeting examined the findings and recommendations outlined in the report and assessed their relevance and applicability within the Indonesian context. In addition, the report included a specific section on rabies surveillance, prevention and control evaluation, as requested by the Indonesian government. |
Learn more about our work on capacity development here.
|
![]() ©FAO/Erianto Nugroho | INDONESIA Simulation training of biosecurity modules for veterinary officers
From 27 to 28 March 2024, FAO, together with the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) held a meeting in Bandung to finalize the development of four biosecurity training modules in ruminant farms for veterinary officers and conduct training simulation. The biosecurity training modules in ruminant farming are designed to facilitate, expedite and improve the quality of learning and to serve as a reference for facilitators in carrying out biosecurity learning activities. These four modules cover the topic of introduction to biosecurity, isolation procedures, disinfection and decontamination, and movement control. Moreover, 26 trained veterinary officers carried out training simulation for dairy cattle farmer groups in the West Bandung district, with central government officers observing. |
Learn more about our work on epidemiology here.
|
![]() ©BAI Animal Health and Welfare Division | THE PHILIPPINES Coordination meeting and simulation exercise for animal disease management
In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), FAO organized a coordination meeting and simulation exercise focused on avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease emergencies in South Luzon Cluster from 19 to 22 March 2024. This initiative, jointly undertaken by FAO and BAI, aimed to enhance the capabilities of veterinarians, quarantine officers and laboratory analysts nationwide in responding to early disease warnings, with a particular emphasis on immediate actions required in the case of FMD incursion. The session featured a variety of activities, including a pop quiz to gauge participants’ knowledge of FMD and a simulation exercise consisting of nine fictional scenarios to provide them with an overview of the possible actions that needed to be taken. Additionally, participants were briefed on the avian influenza surveillance programme and vaccination guidelines in the Philippines over the four-day activity. This event was made possible through funding support from USAID. |
Learn more about our work on risk reduction along the value chain here.
|
![]() ©FAO/Ali Arasyi | INDONESIA Foot-and-mouth disease surveillance protocol review and coordination meeting on priority animal health From 1 to 3 April 2024, FAO and the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) conducted a meeting in Bogor to review foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) surveillance protocols and coordinate with animal health laboratories on prioritizing disease surveillance efforts. Participants reviewed and updated the existing FMD virus surveillance protocols, including post-vaccination monitoring within the MoA’s Disease Investigation Centres (DICs) in consultation with animal health experts. Furthermore, discussion centered on identifying the needs for developing harmonized and comprehensive FMD virus surveillance protocols for DICs and local veterinarians. The meeting also facilitated dialogue with DICs to establish plans for prioritizing disease surveillance implementation.
|
![]() ©DLD Thailand | THAILAND AND ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Strengthening animal health surveillance system through epidemic intelligence from open sources The Department of Livestock Development (DLD), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives organized a three-day training workshop on the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system from 27 to 29 March 2024 at the DLD office, supported by FAO, the Ministry of Public Health Thailand and the World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO). The workshop primarily aimed to enhance the capacity of animal surveillance systems, with a particular focus on early warning functions and animal health intelligence. Participants, including veterinarians, epidemiologists and animal health officer from DLD, were equipped with the tools to inform timely response actions. This workshop marked the first initiative introducing the EIOS system to veterinary services in the region, underscoring the commitment to the One Health approach. Additionally, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and WHO Thailand were present in the workshop as observers.
|
Learn more about our work on surveillance here. |
![]() ©FAO/Yin Myo Aye | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC AND NEPAL Co-organization of national bridging workshop in Nepal Following the virtual preparation meetings, regional Tripartite facilitators provided orientation to 17 local facilitators on 18 March 2024. FAO Nepal and WHO Nepal co-organized the national bridging workshop (NBW) from 19 to 21 March 2024, with approximately 100 participants from various sectors, thanks to the support of USAID. During the workshop, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Ministry of Health and Population handed over the Chairmanship of the Federal One Health Steering Committee and Technical Coordination Committee to the Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. FAO Representative highlighted FAO’s contribution in One Health activities in Nepal. Regional and country Tripartite and national facilitators led discussions to develop a roadmap for the NBW. Gaps and recommendations from FAO Epidemiology Mapping Tool (EMT) assessment, along with International Health Regulations (IHR) and Performance Veterinary Services (PVS) considerations, were incorporated to identify gaps and activities for the roadmap.
|
![]() ©FAO/Sadewa | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC AND INDONESIA Preparation for Joint Outbreak Investigation training in Indonesia Coordination call among FAO headquarters, FAO RAP and FAO Indonesia was held on 3 April 2024 to prepare for training on the coordinated investigation of zoonotic events using Joint Outbreak Investigation (JOIN) tool. This training will provide detailed guidance to the relevant government officers involving in zoonotic disease investigation about the coordinated investigation of different zoonotic events, hands-on experience on the use of JOIN tool and field exercises. The training is planned from 27 to 31 May 2024 in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.
|
![]() ©FAO/SADEWA | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Regular virtual meeting for the Asia-Pacific Regional Quadripartite Coordination Group FAO participated the regular coordination meeting for Quadripartite Coordination Group (QCG) on 3 April 2024. Technical working groups (TWGs) provided updates on development of Terms of Reference and planned activities under each TWG, including joint risk assessment, national bridging workshop, national One Health plan and other One Health activities requested by Member Nations. Upcoming regional collaborative events such as World Rabies Day, AMR and regional Quadripartite meeting were also discussed in the meeting.
|
![]() ©FAO/Yin Myo Aye | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Monitoring and evaluation operational tool technical working group meeting FAO contributed to the virtual meeting on monitoring and evaluation operational tool (M&E OT) on 3 April 2024, as part of the technical working group that is led by FAO headquarters in close collaboration with WHO, WOAH and subject-matter experts around the world. The M&E OT supports the development of the M&E framework and indicators matrix and provides guidance to implement country-specific M&E processes. The M&E OT was piloted in Cameroon during August 2023 and Morocco will develop the M&E framework using this tool in May 2024.
|
![]() ©FAO/Yin Myo Aye | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC One Health activities preparation meeting for Bhutan Virtual weekly meeting for preparation of One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) and Joint Risk Assessment (JRA) workshops was conducted with the local planning teams in Bhutan on 4 April 2024. The preparation is led by FAO together with WHO and WOAH regional offices. The OHZDP workshop will be facilitated by Tripartite under the collaboration with United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC). The JRA workshop will be guided by the Tripartite JRA Operational Tool. The workshops are planned on 29 April to 4 May 2024 in Paro, Bhutan.
|
Learn more about our work on One Health here. |
![]() ©FAO/Domingo Caro III | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC African swine fever team supports multiple activities and events
The FAO’s regional African swine fever (ASF) team is making stride in their efforts to implement several ASF projects. The team is currently organizing three regional events and country-level workshops for second quarter of 2024 alone. These events are foreseen to provide valuable information and support Member Nations affected by ASF. In addition to the meetings and workshops, the four-person team are providing backstopping technical support to countries in the region in relation to surveillance and control measures including communication and advocacy on ASF. |
Learn more about our work on ASF here.
|