Africa Animal Health – An Overview
Animal health plays a vital role in Africa’s agricultural economy, public health, and food security. Livestock is a major source of livelihood for millions of people across the continent, providing meat, milk, hides, wool, and draft power. However, the continent faces significant challenges in maintaining and improving animal health due to limited access to veterinary services, widespread endemic diseases, poor infrastructure, and the effects of climate change.
Africa hosts more than 20% of the world's livestock, including cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, and camels. However, productivity remains low compared to global standards, primarily due to diseases that reduce animal lifespan, fertility, and yield. Common diseases include foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), African swine fever (ASF), contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), and Newcastle disease in poultry. Additionally, zoonotic diseases—those transmissible from animals to humans—such as Rift Valley fever, rabies, and brucellosis, pose serious public health threats.
One of the critical…