A total of 36 veterinarians from Central America gathered in Panama, to strengthen their capacities to respond quickly and effectively to outbreaks of animal diseases with potential impact on the health, food and livelihoods of millions of people in the region, with a view to the protection, sustainability and resilience of agri-food systems.
This methodology, designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Emergency Management Center (EMC), provides guidance on the essential principles that should guide the competent authorities in the development of a coherent emergency management system.
For Andrés González, officer of Sustainable Livestock, Health and Biodiversity of the FAO regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean, it is a significant step in the regional strategy of preparedness for emergency response at the national level, through the strengthening of national programs and the articulation between them, improving technical capacities and the promotion of actions at the regional level.
“It is a joint effort with the International Regional Agency for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA), the Inter-American Institute for Agricultural Cooperation (IICA) to address current health challenges for animal production,” González said.
He added that FAO has developed this program based on the work that has been concretizing since 2022 at the regional level, and that it allowed national managers of terrestrial and aquatic animals to recognize opportunities for improvement with the aim of increasing the capacity to face animal health emergencies.
Based on these first results obtained, FAO and OIRSA convened representatives from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic to address, support and offer guidance to address the identified opportunities for improvement, focusing on current emergencies, such as African Swine Fever or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.