11/06/2026
Countries around the world are facing a growing threat from transboundary animal diseases (TADs), including , , , , and , as well as other emerging zoonotic threats such as , Ebola, and Nipah.
As diseases and pests move more rapidly across borders, countries are facing increasing pressure to strengthen prevention, preparedness and response systems.
The stakes are high. Livestock sectors support more than one billion livelihoods and contribute trillions of dollars in economic value each year. Protecting animal health is therefore critical not only for farmers and livestock keepers, but also for food security, trade, economic stability, and rural prosperity.
The factors driving disease spread are becoming increasingly complex. Increased movement of animals, people and products, changing production systems, environmental pressures and uneven veterinary and surveillance capacity are creating new opportunities for diseases and pests to spread across regions. Addressing these threats requires stronger surveillance, earlier detection, greater information sharing and closer international cooperation.
“The impacts of these outbreaks extend far beyond animal health. They disrupt agricultural production, trade, and tourism, threaten livelihoods, increase food security risks, and in some cases pose direct risks to human health,” said Dr Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Assistant Director-General, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, and Chief Veterinarian.
As part of this effort, FAO is working with Members to develop the Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases, a long-term, country-owned platform focused on prevention, early warning, preparedness, anticipatory action and rapid response. The objective is to help countries detect and contain outbreaks earlier, reduce disruptions to food production and trade, and minimize the need for costly emergency interventions.
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