Following the re-introduction of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) in the Americas after 40 years of absence, FAO conducted a qualitative risk assessment for the likelihood of entry of ASF from the Dominican Republic and Haiti to unaffected countries and territories of the Americas and the likelihood of exposure to susceptible animal populations should the disease be introduced. In addition, the potential economic and social impact of ASFV spreading across the continent was assessed. The risk assessment covers the period of December 2021 to February 2022 and considered six risk pathways of introduction and spread. The methodology, information used and results of the risk assessment and economic impact assessment are available in this publication along with recommendations for prevention and control of ASFV introduction and spread in the region. In addition, the publication compiles information collected from 35 countries/territories in the Americas through a questionnaire and presents evidence on the complex swine/pork value chains in the region retrieved from various sources.

This report describes a risk assessment mission in the Federated States of Micronesia, undertaken by the EpiCentre, School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP/SAP/3801). The overall aim was to evaluate the risk of introducing the African swine fever virus (ASFV) into the Federated States of Micronesia and use the findings to propose recommendations that enable professionals, communities and key stakeholders to implement prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of African swine fever (ASF) incursion. ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs. It has emerged from Africa, spreading to eastern Europe, China and Southeast Asia. Due to ASF outbreaks in Asia and Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands countries now prioritise preventing the introduction of ASF. A risk assessment of ASFV introduction is necessary for deciding which preventive actions would be most effective. The assessment of risk was conducted using the OIE import risk analysis framework. The most likely pathway for introducing ASFV into the Federated States of Micronesia was importing unauthorised pork products that international arrival passengers may bring in via airport or searport. Should infected products enter the Federated States of Micronesia, there is a distinct pathway for exposure because pigs are routinely fed food scraps (swill) from households. The likelihood of transmission of ASFV to other susceptible pigs was considered extremely high due to the lack of farm biosecurity and the presence of feral pigs. The assessment method was a systematic, qualitative import risk analysis of ASFV introduction to the Federated States of Micronesia. Results provide information about high-risk areas for ASF introduction, exposure and spread in FSM. They also identify gaps in control and prevention measures. The following steps are being proposed to minimise the likelihood of entry and exposure and the consequence of ASFV introduction.

This report describes a risk assessment mission in Tuvalu undertaken by the EpiCentre, School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP/SAP/3801). The overall aim was to evaluate the risk of introducing the African swine fever (ASF) into Tuvalu and use the findings to propose recommendations that enable professionals, communities and key stakeholders to implement prevention and mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of ASF incursion.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2023 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has expanded lay people’s vocabulary; PCR-testing is no longer mentioned only by virologists, nor are the terms basic reproduction ratio and herd-immunity limited to epidemiologists. This expansion of vocabulary that was previously only used in specialist settings already demonstrates global, societal impact. We have learnt that it is insufficient simply to act on disease emergence and spread. More focus is needed on prevention and surveillance of the precursors of emerging infectious disease, as well as early detection. To succeed in this, it is a necessity to collaborate across sectors – academics, governments, industry and the public – in a transdisciplinary way.

Soils contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through carbon sequestration. By enhancing soil health and fertility, soils can play a crucial role in climate action, land degradation neutrality, and alleviating hunger. The present study provides a spatially explicit report on the state of grassland soils and can be used as a baseline for future work to explore the impacts of livestock management on soil carbon at regional, country and farm levels. Assessing the current state of grassland systems and their potential to sequester carbon in the soil is of key importance to understand the trade-offs between grassland services on food security, biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition

Surveillance, early detection, control and eradication of notifiable animal diseases is of critical importance for countries in order to maintain or improve their animal health status. This requires the collaboration of all stakeholders involved including animal health authorities, livestock industry and veterinary research institutions among others. Prevention, control and eradication programs must take into account the characteristics of the host (including potential reservoirs), the pathogen (transmissibility, virulence…) and the environment (temperature, animal density…) but also the socio-economic context in which they have to be implemented (highly influenced by funding availability), while at the same time guaranteeing compliance with international trade regulations. This has led to the adoption of a wide range of approaches to address the risk posed by specific pathogens in different countries, and at the same time similar strategies have yielded very different results in different regions. This Research Topic includes a variety of manuscripts focusing on different aspects of surveillance, control and eradication of diseases of critical importance for livestock, including cattle, swine and wildlife, in an attempt to provide an overview of the current situation in different countries.

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