Transboundary animal diseases in East Africa

project summary

In East Africa, livestock provides a source of family income for millions of people. A strong livestock sector is therefore crucial for enhancing food security and for reducing poverty in the region. However, endemic diseases of livestock and wildlife undermine efforts towards strengthening this sector. Matters are further complicated by the transboundary movement of wildlife and pastoralists with their livestock. The main focus of this project is foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a highly contagious viral disease of great economic importance. Control of FMD in Africa is complicated and requires input from several sources. The major contribution of this project is enhancement of diagnostic and epidemiological research capacity to enable the partners in Africa to use state-of-the-art molecular and serological methods. Collaborative research will generate the capability for rapid diagnosis of FMD, so that appropriate control measures can be applied, like the choice of the best available vaccine. This will be achieved by improving and establishing laboratory facilities, strengthening research and networks on FMD as well as educating PhD and MSc students. Furthermore, the project will greatly enhance our understanding of the current disease situation and the contribution of the wildlife-livestock interface in the epidemiology of the disease. The overall outcome is an improvement in capacity to respond to transboundary livestock-wildlife diseases in East Africa.