GABORONE, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has said that trans-boundary animal diseases (TBDs), the foot and mouth disease (FMD) in particular, are a major obstacle to the African region's developmental agenda.
"Even though technology has improved and there are more experts and resources available in the region and around the world, the number of TBDs seems to be growing," Masisi said Tuesday at the 25th conference of the World Organization for Animal Health Regional Commission for Africa in Gaborone, Botswana's capital.
The emergence of serotype "O" of FMD in the southern Africa region is also of great concern. Serotype "O" will not only bring complexity in the control of FMD, it also has cost and affordability implications, said Masisi.
He said that FMD is a major impediment to the southern African region's development agenda, reversing gains in poverty eradication as well as killing international livestock trade and contributing to Africa's under-exploitation of valuable resources.
Botswana's rural people rely heavily on livestock, and disease outbreaks in specific areas are highly disruptive to their lives. The development of the small-stock (sheep and goats) industry has been given top priority in Botswana due to the sector's enormous potential to support livelihoods and generate employment, according to Masisi.
"It is therefore important to carefully study the patterns of trans-boundary diseases in order to come up with strategies that are underpinned by information sharing and regional collaboration," he said.
In the mean time, Masisi said, countries including Botswana are observing with apprehension as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), or goat plague, spreads across the continent.
He challenged the conference to produce credible, practical, and pragmatic recommendations that can be translated into strategies for African national governments and economic communities such as the Southern African Development Community.
The conference on animal health began on Feb. 21 and will conclude on Feb. 24. ■
