An increase in transboundary animal diseases is putting growing pressure on countries to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response systems as outbreaks increasingly spill across borders, threatening livelihoods, food security and trade.

From African Swine Fever and Avian Influenza to New World Screwworm and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), animal health threats are spreading faster and further than before. At the same time, zoonotic diseases that can jump from animals to humans – including Ebola, Nipah and Andes hantavirus – continue to pose wider public health risks.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the trend is being driven by rising movement of animals, people and goods, changing farming practices, environmental pressures and uneven veterinary capacity. Together, these factors are creating new opportunities for diseases to emerge and spread.

The impact is already being felt in many countries. South Africa, for example, is grappling with recurring outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease that have disrupted livestock movement and raised concerns for the country’s beef industry and export markets.

“The impacts of these outbreaks extend far beyond animal health,” said Dr Thanawat Tiensin, Chief Veterinarian and Assistant Director-General at FAO. “They disrupt agricultural production, trade and tourism, threaten livelihoods, increase food security risks and, in some cases, pose direct risks to human health.”

The economic costs are considerable. FAO estimates that avian influenza has resulted in the loss of more than 633 million poultry worldwide and threatens a US$48 billion market. Foot-and-mouth disease causes around US$11.3 billion in losses every year, while African swine fever has reduced pig populations by more than 40% in some parts of Asia.

Recent events have underscored how quickly these threats can move. New World Screwworm has re-emerged in the United States after advancing north through Central America and Mexico, while the SAT1 strain of foot-and-mouth disease has spread beyond its traditional range in Africa, raising concerns across the Middle East and parts of Asia.

For FAO, the lesson is clear: prevention is cheaper and more effective than crisis response.

“Experience consistently shows us that prevention and preparedness are more effective – and less costly – than responding after an outbreak has taken hold,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.

To help countries stay ahead of future outbreaks, FAO is working with governments and partners, including the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), to develop a Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases. The initiative aims to strengthen early warning systems, preparedness, and rapid-response capacity, helping countries detect outbreaks sooner and contain them before they become major emergencies.

With livestock supporting more than one billion livelihoods worldwide, FAO argues that investing in animal health is no longer simply an agricultural issue. It is increasingly central to food security, economic resilience and public health.