21 March 2023. Nuristan Province, Afghanistan - FAO Representative listening to problems of livestock owners and giving them response, in Dewa village of Nuristan.
Background information
In March, FAO Representative in Afghanistan Richard Trenchard launched lumpy skin disease (LSD) vaccination programme in Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province. Driving on dusty, sometimes non-existent roads for nine hours, FAO team crossed rivers and riverbeds to ensure that this community that largely depends on livestock doesn't lose this crucial asset to the disease.With funds from Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), FAO commenced the vaccination of 3.9 million livestock against LSD to flatten the LSD curve in Afghanistan. FAO already vaccinated 125 000 animals last year after the outbreak was reported in 28 out of 34 provinces, from May 2022. The vaccinations are being carried out with the support of the private sector Veterinary Field Units(VFUs). According to official statistics, there are more than four million cattle in Afghanistan and FAO aims to vaccinate 80 percent of this total number - approximately 3.2 million - each year through working with the VFUs.
