Morocco receives UN help to defeat livestock disease

11/09/2008

The Moroccan government is working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation to combat an outbreak of the livestock disease PPR, which has been reported in nearly 4,000 animals across the country.

By Imane Belhaj for Magharebia in Casablanca – 11/09/08

[Getty Images] Morocco is working with the UN to stem the spread of a livestock disease affecting goats and sheep in Morocco.

With livestock trading expected to increase throughout North Africa during the month of Ramadan, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is warning against the regional spread of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a contagious viral disease which threatens to kill millions of sheep and goats.

FAO said on its website that the current outbreak has largely affected sheep, with 133 outbreaks reported in 29 Moroccan provinces.

Between Ramadan and Eid al-Adha celebrations in December, trading in livestock will increase in the region. The FAO warns that without proper control mechanisms, the movement and turnover of animals could accelerate the spread of the virus.

Responding to a request for assistance by Moroccan authorities, the FAO Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health (CMC-AH) conducted a rapid response mission from August 12th-21st. The team assisted with the establishment of urgent measures to control and limit the spread of the disease.

The Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that it had enlisted the aid of the FAO and that it was closely monitoring the spread of PPR on the national level.

The ministry said in a recent communiqué that in addition to the quarantine and isolation of sick sheep and goats, it has carried out a vaccination campaign for healthy animals and emphasised early detection of PPR to halt its spread to other areas.

In spite of these precautions, farmers told Magharebia they are still afraid. Hasan B, a sheep herder, said he did not know how to benefit from the vaccination in order to protect his herd. He blamed officials for not taking the necessary measures in due time, and for not providing all the vaccines in a timely manner.

Moustapha G, a farmer and cattle breeder, said he lost his only source of income because the government did not care about what happened to him. He added that officials were keeping silent on the available preventive measures and were not advising those who needed to know.

The Moroccan outbreak is the first occurrence of the disease in the country, which indicates that PPR has crossed the natural barrier of the Sahara and poses a risk to North Africa.

Morocco's sheep population is estimated at 17 million and its goat population at 5 million. These animals play an important role in supporting the livelihoods of millions of families.

According to the agriculture ministry, 3,926 of sheep and goats have been inflicted with the disease, leading to 1,836 animal deaths.

PPR is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic goats and sheep and small wild ruminants. It is transmitted through close contact between animals. In its acute form it is characterised by high fever, discharges from the eyes and nose, sores in the mouth, lesions of the mucous membranes, laboured breathing, and diarrhoea.

Mortality rates can reach 80% in acute cases. In "super acute" cases the mortality rate is 100%, with affected animals dying in the first week after infection.