| As the world's population grows, the need to | | | | illnesses such as West Nile virus, bluetongue |
| ensure food safety from farms to fork has | | | | and foot and mouth disease are some recent |
| become a major international concern, with | | | | examples of highly contagious animal |
| most of the attention focused on livestock. | | | | illnesses that can travel around the globe |
| Producer Zulima Palacio talked to some of the | | | | just as fast as humans do. |
| world authorities in this field. Mil Arcega | | | | |
| narrates the story. | | | | In order to keep their livestock healthy, |
| | | | producers have embraced the regular use of |
| The world's population is growing at a | | | | antibiotics. |
| tremendous pace - adding about 78 million | | | | |
| people a year. United Nations estimates show | | | | Bernard Vallat from OIE says the use of |
| that by the year 2030 more than eight billion | | | | antibiotics can be dangerous if they are not |
| people will inhabit the Earth, straining the | | | | carefully controlled by veterinarians. But |
| world's ability to feed itself. | | | | he says thousands of tons of antibiotics are |
| | | | used worldwide every year. "If antibiotics |
| Bernard Vallat is the director of the World | | | | are used as sweets [like candy] - without |
| Organization for Animal Health, or OIE [for | | | | control - this is dangerous, because bacteria |
| Office International des Epizooties] | | | | in animals can become resistant and then |
| describes the operation. "We know that we | | | | infect humans." |
| have in the coming 10 years, one billion | | | | |
| additional meat consumers in China, India and | | | | The population pressure for the fast and |
| other emerging countries" he said. | | | | massive production of animal products has |
| | | | also forced livestock production into higher |
| "In the following two decades the demand for | | | | density, with fewer but more productive |
| animal products is going to double and so the | | | | animal breeds. |
| supply is going to follow the demand and | | | | |
| because of all kind of constraints, this | | | | Anni McLeod of the U.N. Food and Agriculture |
| supply of animal products is going to come | | | | Organization (FAO) says genetic diversity may |
| from developing countries," said Francois Le | | | | be needed in the future. "In poultry for |
| Gall. | | | | example, there are about three or four |
| | | | companies that control most of the poultry |
| Le Gall, of the World Bank agrees with | | | | breeds in the world and there are very, very |
| Vallat's assessment that only 40 out of about | | | | few breeds that make up the genetic stock of |
| 200 countries in the world have the capacity | | | | all the commercial poultry that we have" |
| to respond to a health crisis that originates | | | | McLeod said. |
| from animal disease. | | | | |
| | | | There are no global estimates for |
| Two diseases in particular - mad cow and | | | | environmental, social and economic losses due |
| avian flu - have had devastating effects in | | | | to illnesses of animals raised for human |
| the last 20 years. Mad cow disease first | | | | consumption. McLeod suggests thinking of a |
| emerged among cattle in Britain in the mid | | | | very large number and adding several zeros. |
| 1980s, and since then has appeared in other | | | | |
| European countries, North America and Asia. | | | | McLeod adds, "Almost any estimate we come out |
| It has forced the destruction of large herds, | | | | with is going to be like an iceberg, and the |
| caused huge economic losses and the deaths of | | | | part that affects really poor people would be |
| about 150 people. | | | | the piece under water, that you don't know |
| | | | about." |
| Avian flu, also known as the H5N1 virus, | | | | |
| first appeared in 2003, and has forced the | | | | McLeod and others agree that if nothing is |
| slaughter of about 100 million birds in Asia, | | | | done to prevent diseases in livestock for |
| especially in Vietnam. The human and | | | | human consumption the world could face a |
| economic losses have been devastating. | | | | major crisis in the next 10 years. |
| | | | |
| "This is not a new situation, diseases that | | | | "I wouldn't call Avian influenza in any way |
| are coming from animals to humans - it's | | | | positive, but perhaps one thing it has |
| happened since beginning of humanity. But | | | | enabled us to do is to highlight the fact |
| the reason for the new trends now is the | | | | that investment is going to be needed for a |
| globalization, climate change, mobility of | | | | long time" McLeod said. |
| the population, the globalization of animal | | | | |
| products, etceteras. Every year we have a | | | | The international community is mobilizing to |
| new disease and 75 percent of these diseases | | | | meet the challenge. The World Bank, the U.N. |
| are of animal origin." Le Gall added. | | | | and the World Organization for Animal Health |
| | | | or OIE are all working together on several |
| Le Gall says globalization has enhanced the | | | | levels regarding food safety, veterinarian |
| probability of having pandemics. Other | | | | services, packing and transportation. |