The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has availed US$500 000 for the implementation of the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) between Zimbabwe and Mozambique to enhance the mitigation of theileriosis while controlling the spread of Food and Mouth Disease (FMD) Serotype O across Southern Africa.
By Kuda Pembere
To both countries, the control of these diseases is important for the improvement of food and nutrition security alongside access to markets for livestock and their products.
The TCP according to FAO is not considered a stand-alone intervention by FAO, but complements efforts currently in place at country level, in the fight against the impact of the two animal diseases.
“The implementation of this project is from August up till May 2024. And for both components, we have about US$500 000,” said FAO Animal Production and Health Officer Berhanu Bedane during a webinar launching the Emergency Support to Mitigate Theileriosis Disease in Zimbabwe and the risk of FMD Serotype O in Southern Africa project.
He explained that this project was to stop the spread of FMD Serotype O reported in Zambia and Mozambique.
“The TCP is guided by two issues, one, the outbreak of theileriosis in Zimbabwe and two the elevated threat of FMD serotype O spread in Southern Africa both in Mozambique, and Zimbabwe are under threat, and eventually it may go to other countries like Botswana and South Africa. That is why FAO at the request of the countries came up with this project which is entitled Emergency Support to Mitigate Theileriosis Disease in Zimbabwe and the risk of FMD Serotype O in Southern Africa,” said the FAO expert.
Added the expert, “In 2018, a serotype then considered exotic to Southern Africa, FMD serotype O, was reported in northern Zambia, between 2021-2022 the disease spread to Namibia, Malawi and more recently Mozambique. Namibia managed to repel the serotype O incursion in the last half of 2021.
“Building on the successes in Namibia, the TCP will intensify surveillance efforts and build capacity through training of key personnel and farmers to reduce the risk posed by FMD serotype O not only in Mozambique and Zimbabwe but the rest of the region.”
The FAO says it is focusing above all on developing capacity and advancing knowledge drawing on its international expertise to combat these animal diseases in a sustainable manner.
“The rise in cattle fatalities in Zimbabwe due to theileriosis, and the imminent threat of spread of FMD serotype O in the region, jointly necessitated the development of this ‘Emergency support to mitigate theileriosis disease in Zimbabwe and the risk of FMD serotype O in Southern Africa’ project (TCP/SFS/3908),” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and FAO Representative in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini. “In recent years, FAO has supported countries in the region to respond to several livestock-related emergencies occasioned by animal disease outbreaks and natural disasters. Technical assistance in the control of transboundary animal diseases (TADs), particularly efforts in mitigating the spread of the new serotype O of FMD virus has already been offered in Malawi, Comoros and Zambia.”
Chief Director, Directorate of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Zimbabwe Dr Josphat Nyika noted that in Zimbabwe over 60 percent of ruminant livestock deaths are attributed to these tick bone diseases (TBDs) while theileriosis, since 2017, has been the main cause of TBD-induced cattle deaths in the country.
“This TCP speaks directly to our livestock growth plan, one of the key focuses of which is animal health, and where the country has a goal of increasing the national cattle herd from 5.5 million to 6 million by 2030. This is not possible to achieve in the face of animal disease outbreaks” said Dr Nyika.
Dr Américo Manuel da Conceição, Chief Veterinary Officer for Mozambique acknowledged FAO support in the fight against FMD in the country, noting that, “the TCP is coming at an appropriate time when the country is fighting outbreaks of FMD serotype O as well as SAT2 (one of the seven major serotypes with significant genetic and epidemiological differences. These are O, A, C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3, and Asia-1).”
Theileriosis is a fatal protozoal infection of cattle, and sometimes small ruminants, characterized by fever, lymph node enlargement, cloudiness of the eyes with watery discharge, froth from the mouth and nostrils, and sometimes sudden death.
During the 2022/2023 rainy season theileriosis claimed an unusually high number of cattle, surpassing the records of preceding years, which forced the country to declare war against January Disease.
