APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Thursday launched an emergency project to protect Zimbabwean livestock from climate change-induced diseases.
The one-year “Mitigating the Impact of Livestock Diseases” project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), would support the implemented by FAO to improve the resilience of households in 11 Zimbabwean districts to shocks by protecting their livestock assets.
“In collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe and with support from USAID, FAO is positioned to contribute to the improvement of animal health to make livestock more productive and sustainable while achieving optimal health for all,” said Patrice Talla, FAO sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa and representative in Zimbabwe.
The project is expected to strengthen responses to control livestock disease outbreaks, thereby protecting livelihood assets and promoting improved livestock nutrition to increase animal disease resistance.
Zimbabwe has in recent years lost close to a million cattle to diseases, prompting the government to introduce a raft of measures which included the rehabilitation of dip tanks across the country.
Thursday’s launch of the project was also attended by Zimbabwe government officials.
JN/APA