Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in the Africa region. It is one of the most contagious livestock diseases which bring about economic losses to many countries that depend on livestock for generation of revenue.

Taking Botswana as an example, livestock production, particularly beef products, contribute up to 65% of revenue in the agricultural sector (Seleka and Kebakile, 2015). Botswana exports approximately 80% of its beef to the European and South African markets (van Engelen et al., 2013). The revenue gained from these transactions account for up to one third of the GDP of the country.

The FMD progressive control pathway (PCP) is a tool to assist endemic countries, developed and endorsed by the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), FAO and WOAH. The FMD – PCP recommends that control efforts should be coordinated at regional level. The pathway offers a structured stepwise approach to FMD control.

Fig. The FAO/EuFMD/WOAH Progressive Control Pathway for FMD. The status of countries on the PCP-FMD is evaluated according to defined criteria. Countries with endemic disease are in stages 0 to 3 while countries with no endemic disease within livestock are at stage 4 or above.

The country starts with gaining a better epidemiological understanding of FMD (stage 1), gradually implementing risk-based control measures (stage 2), before evolving to stage 3, at the end of which country may apply for the WOAH endorsement of official control program for FMD aiming at eliminating FMDV circulation (Stage 4). The higher stages correspond to the country eventually recognized by the WOAH as being free from FMD with or without vaccination.

The ultimate long-term goal of the FMD PCP is not to obtain global eradication of FMD but to attain a state of cost-effective control of FMD in susceptible livestock by 2030.