Japan strengthens food security in Afghanistan with a donation of US$ 18 million to help combat the threat of animal
diseases – nomad community key beneficiary
Kabul, Afghanistan, 19 November 2014: The Government of Japan, through technical assistance of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and in
collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, has announced a new project to boost the resilience and
livelihoods of livestock farmers in Afghanistan.
Animal disease outbreaks and emergencies threaten the livelihoods of livestock farmers and negatively impact a country’s
economy and, in particular, the food security of nomad communities in Afghanistan that rely heavily on livestock.
Because early detection and warning systems are vital, the project will establish a network of local focal points,
community-based animal health and extension workers, who will be trained in early disease detection in sheep, goats and
cattle – the mainstay of Afghanistan’s livestock production – and help to set up a system of rapid response to
outbreaks.
This on-farm livestock healthcare system will include a component of preventative vaccination programmes against known
animal illnesses such as foot and mouth disease among others.
“The support pledged by the Government of Japan to assist vulnerable Afghan livestock owners, including nomad Kuchi
communities who heavily depend on livestock for their food security and livelihood is greatly appreciated,” said
Mohammad Asif Rahimi, Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL). “This support is in
line with MAIL’s strategy in combatting transboundary animal diseases (TADs), as well as with FAO’s country programming
framework (CPF).”
The project, worth approximately US$ 18 million (JPN¥ 1.998 billion), was confirmed today during a signing ceremony in
Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. The project will be jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry.
“Supporting the livestock sector in Afghanistan is a key element in the country’s rehabilitation and development,” said
Yasunari Morino, Japan’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan. “This project also envisages agriculture education which will
play a significant role for the future development of Afghanistan. We hope that this project will adequately support the
Government’s new agriculture and livestock sector policies and strategies.”
“Japanese assistance will focus on livestock owners at community level who will benefit from decreased livestock
mortality and production losses,” the acting Minister added. “Subsequently, this will lead to improved food security.”
The project is comprised of six main components: 1) Building self-alertness of Kuchi pastoral communities; 2)
Strengthening surveillance and diagnostic capability and capacity for FMD and peste des petits ruminants (PPR); 3):
Strengthening the overall surveillance system and response mechanisms; 4): Increasing early warning mechanisms for the
community and livestock owners; 5) Implementing preventive and emergency vaccination programmes against FMD and PPR; and
6): strengthening collaboration with neighbouring countries for coordinated control efforts. The project will be
implemented in synergy with other on-going programmes and projects supporting animal health in Afghanistan.
The Government of Japan has made the development of the agriculture sector one of its highest priorities in its
assistance to Afghanistan. Since mid-2010, Japan has contributed over US$ 100 million to FAO agricultural interventions
in Afghanistan, including support to irrigation development valued at US$ 58 million.
The Exchange of Note, the US$ 18 million Grant Agreement and the Project Document titled “Building resilience and
self-reliance of livestock keepers by improving control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and other Transboundary Animal
Diseases (TADs),” were signed during a ceremony at the Ministry by the acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and
Livestock (MAIL), Japan’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan and Tomio Shichiri, the FAO Representative in Afghanistan.
“We are extremely grateful to Japan for having steadily continued its support to Afghan farmers and livestock holders in
an effort to increase the resilience of their livelihoods,” said Shichiri. “Increasing resilience of livelihoods to
disasters is one of FAO’s Strategic Objectives, and FAO Afghanistan would like to focus on this resilience agenda while
working with MAIL to fight hunger and poverty,” he added.
ENDS