Protecting family farmers and their farm animals from the impact of volcanic eruptions in the Philippines
FAO, USAID, and Philippine partners lay out plan for implementation in the country of the Asia-Pacific regional initiative �Livestock emergency preparedness and response for areas at high risk of volcanic eruption�.
While increasingly unpredictable, and seasonal, climate-related disasters continue to cause massive hardships for farmers and their animals in Asia and the Pacific, the world’s most disaster-prone region, volcanic eruptions can cause catastrophe.
In particular, during the last two centuries, volcanic eruptions in rural areas of Indonesia and Philippines have resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of human lives, and untold numbers of farm animals. One eruption in the early 1800’s, that initially was reported to have killed 10 000 people, also resulted in the deaths of 80 000 others who perished due to starvation.
FAO and the World Animal Protection signed on 18 June a Letter of Agreement (LoA) which commits cooperation on the project ‘Livestock emergency preparedness and response for areas at high risk of volcanic eruption’.
The project was launched last year by FAO and the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) with the aim to mitigate the devastating impact of unpredictable volcanic eruptions especially on poor communities, most of whom rely on food and agriculture for a living. The FAO-USAID/OFDA regional project will be implemented in Indonesia, Philippines and Vanuatu, some of the countries with the most active volcanoes in the world. From these case studies, a regional tool will be developed to assist all countries in planning how they may better prepare their rural communities to face such hazards.
Planning out implementation in the Philippines
From 22 to 23 July, representatives of the project's implementing partners in the Philippines held a virtual inception workshop to formally launch the project in the country as well as to set the context and lay out work plans. Specifically, the virtual workshop facilitated insightful discussions on mechanisms for building high-level support, fostered deeper collaboration and synergies amongst stakeholders; and developed national and case-specific work plans to achieve the objectives of the project that meet public heatlh and safety standards within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Protecting farmers and animals from the devastation of volcanic eruptions
“Since the emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (AI) FAO has increasingly been involved in the management not only of animal diseases and emergencies but also in addressing threats to livestock during natural disasters. It is a great opportunity to work with World Animal Protection which has a long-standing experience in moving the world in protecting animals especially during disaster situations caused by volcano eruptions.” said Katinka de Balogh, FAO Senior Animal Health and Production Officer.
“In times of crises, partnerships are especially important and FAO is committed to bringing together the best expertise in the world to support member states in preparedness and protect lives and livelihoods that depend on food and agriculture.” added Allison Moore, FAO’s Senior Field Programme Officer.
In the Philippines, FAO will be working with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI), the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and other pertinent government agencies and LGUs that have had extensive experience in volcano-related emergency response and recovery, particularly during the most recent ones involving Taal Volcano in Batangas province and Mayon Volcano in the Bicol region that displaced thousands of farmers and their work animals and livestock.
More information about the project here: http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/news/detail-events/en/c/1294336/.