FOOD SECURITY AND DISEASE REPORTING-ISSUES & APPROACHES
Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan
Food security is a concern of the country in general and the state of Kerala in particular. A society is said to have security in food, when the people at all time ,have physical and economic access to sufficient ,safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Hence availability, accessibility and utilization of food at individual, house hold, regional and state level needs more emphasis. Recognizing that the current trend of reduced area under cultivation, low productivity, and low investments will have a negative bearing on food and nutritional security of the most vulnerable with reduced access to food; efforts are taken at the national and state level to combat the situation. In the era of Globalization where food security and food safety issues are emerging, major obstacle in promoting livestock in the country is diseases. These animal diseases not only reduce productivity of livestock in the country, but also discourage investments from both domestic and foreign investors. Knowledge dissemination plays a key role in controlling animal diseases. Different strategic models are working in this direction. Veterinarians need to impart reliable and practical scientific information among stake holders. It must be context based in nature. Relevancy and timeliness should match with the season and practices.
Government of India has permitted foreign direct investment in Agriculture in the country. Major sectors of FDI will include Seeds, Plantation, Horticulture, Cultivation of vegetables, Animal husbandry and Fisheries. 100 percent FDI has been allowed in the above sectors including dog breeding. Within the Animal husbandry sector healthcare, the term under controlled conditions includes: rearing of animals under intensive farming systems with stall-feeding. Intensive farming system will require climate systems (ventilation, temperature/humidity management), health care and nutrition, herd registering/pedigree recording, use of machinery, waste management systems. Poultry breeding farms and hatcheries where microclimate is controlled through advanced technologies like incubators, ventilation systems etc will also come under this circular.
Animal disease reporting goes global
Pacific island countries and territories are demanding transparency in reporting of animal diseases. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) is the standards setting body recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on animal health issues, including disease reporting. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OIE to promote the adoption of OIE standards in the developing nations in the Pacific.
The key objectives are to
Provide an overview of TAD info — the trans-boundary animal disease information management system;
Provide an overview of the World Animal Health Information Management System (WAHIS);
Provide practical training in the use of both the TAD info and WAHIS applications;
Facilitate the development of disease reporting systems in non-OIE member countries (for both terrestrial and aquatic animal commodities, including ornamental fish);
Enable Pacific Island countries and territories to contribute to the design of a WAHIS regional disease reporting system; and
Export ornamental fish to EU.
Impart practical training in the operation of WAHIS, including how to access animal disease status online and how to report and update their animal disease status at the global level.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will coordinate the training on TAD info.
Launching of National Animal Disease Reporting System (NADRS)
The National Animal Disease Reporting System (NADRS) project which would monitor outbreak of any zoonotic disease and inform the general public for necessary control measures in time was commissioned in the country
Under NADRS project, around 143 diseases which are common among the livestock, would be studied and precautionary measures would be taken up to prevent the birds and animals from contracting these diseases.
With commissioning of the NADRS project, the problems faced by the farmers during outbreaks of zoonotic diseases like bird flu, Swine Flu, etc would be able to control immediately. Through a computerized system of network, all the Blocks, districts and state headquarters would be able to share any information regarding any animal disease with the Central Disease Reporting and Monitoring Unit at Delhi.
Launched in 2010 as part of the 11th Five-Year Plan, the National Animal Disease Reporting System is a new scheme taken up by the Central government with cent percent assistance.
PDAMAS has a unique Disease reporting System
In India the large number of livestock significantly contributes to the food and draft power. Several endemic livestock diseases contribute to decreased production and death, which has a direct impact on food security and rural economy.
The Project Directorate on Animal Disease Monitoring And Surveillance (PDADMAS) was established in 1987 by the ICAR to develop a system of disease monitoring and surveillance of economically important livestock diseases in the country, with a view to evolve strategic control measures.
The magnitude of livestock diseases affecting the huge and varied livestock population maintained in different geo-agro-climatic zones and poor sanitary conditions demands in depth epidemiological investigation. Currently the disease reporting, monitoring and surveillance of livestock diseases are inadequate, slow and not particularly useful in the control of diseases.
Controlling major livestock diseases has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of the rural poor. Sustained implementation of disease control is often too expensive and as such there is a need for practical, economical and efficient epidemiological approaches.
In this direction, PDADMAS has made significant progress in developing short and long term disease related databases and disease forecasting models using logistic, multiple regression and time series techniques. Moreover weather based forecasting models for endemic diseases have also been developed.
Accurate information about the health status of the animal wealth of the country is essential for initiating disease control strategies through optimal utilization of funds, veterinary resources and human resources
The advances in information technology provide adequate computing techniques to develop a national livestock disease information system which is the prime need of the day. PDADMAS has developed an innovative India Admas Epitrak epidemiology software which is a dynamic and interactive livestock disease related database supported by Geographic Information System (GIS).This software addresses the needs of data collection, retrieval, analysis and critical reporting of disease events as and when they occur and is useful for students, veterinary research stations, field veterinarians, administrators and technocrats.
To strengthen large-scale epidemiological surveys, PD_ ADMAS has successfully developed and released software based, highly sensitive, specific and user friendly ELISA diagnostic kits for bovine brucellosis and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis. It has also created a National directory of 6.39 lakh villages for critical epidemiological sampling frames.
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E mail-tpsethu2000@gmail.com
Courtesy- NADRS
Food security is a concern of the country in general and the state of Kerala in particular. A society is said to have security in food, when the people at all time ,have physical and economic access to sufficient ,safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Hence availability, accessibility and utilization of food at individual, house hold, regional and state level needs more emphasis. Recognizing that the current trend of reduced area under cultivation, low productivity, and low investments will have a negative bearing on food and nutritional security of the most vulnerable with reduced access to food; efforts are taken at the national and state level to combat the situation. In the era of Globalization where food security and food safety issues are emerging, major obstacle in promoting livestock in the country is diseases. These animal diseases not only reduce productivity of livestock in the country, but also discourage investments from both domestic and foreign investors. Knowledge dissemination plays a key role in controlling animal diseases. Different strategic models are working in this direction. Veterinarians need to impart reliable and practical scientific information among stake holders. It must be context based in nature. Relevancy and timeliness should match with the season and practices.
Government of India has permitted foreign direct investment in Agriculture in the country. Major sectors of FDI will include Seeds, Plantation, Horticulture, Cultivation of vegetables, Animal husbandry and Fisheries. 100 percent FDI has been allowed in the above sectors including dog breeding. Within the Animal husbandry sector healthcare, the term under controlled conditions includes: rearing of animals under intensive farming systems with stall-feeding. Intensive farming system will require climate systems (ventilation, temperature/humidity management), health care and nutrition, herd registering/pedigree recording, use of machinery, waste management systems. Poultry breeding farms and hatcheries where microclimate is controlled through advanced technologies like incubators, ventilation systems etc will also come under this circular.
Animal disease reporting goes global
Pacific island countries and territories are demanding transparency in reporting of animal diseases. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) is the standards setting body recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on animal health issues, including disease reporting. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OIE to promote the adoption of OIE standards in the developing nations in the Pacific.
The key objectives are to
Provide an overview of TAD info — the trans-boundary animal disease information management system;
Provide an overview of the World Animal Health Information Management System (WAHIS);
Provide practical training in the use of both the TAD info and WAHIS applications;
Facilitate the development of disease reporting systems in non-OIE member countries (for both terrestrial and aquatic animal commodities, including ornamental fish);
Enable Pacific Island countries and territories to contribute to the design of a WAHIS regional disease reporting system; and
Export ornamental fish to EU.
Impart practical training in the operation of WAHIS, including how to access animal disease status online and how to report and update their animal disease status at the global level.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will coordinate the training on TAD info.
Launching of National Animal Disease Reporting System (NADRS)
The National Animal Disease Reporting System (NADRS) project which would monitor outbreak of any zoonotic disease and inform the general public for necessary control measures in time was commissioned in the country
Under NADRS project, around 143 diseases which are common among the livestock, would be studied and precautionary measures would be taken up to prevent the birds and animals from contracting these diseases.
With commissioning of the NADRS project, the problems faced by the farmers during outbreaks of zoonotic diseases like bird flu, Swine Flu, etc would be able to control immediately. Through a computerized system of network, all the Blocks, districts and state headquarters would be able to share any information regarding any animal disease with the Central Disease Reporting and Monitoring Unit at Delhi.
Launched in 2010 as part of the 11th Five-Year Plan, the National Animal Disease Reporting System is a new scheme taken up by the Central government with cent percent assistance.
PDAMAS has a unique Disease reporting System
In India the large number of livestock significantly contributes to the food and draft power. Several endemic livestock diseases contribute to decreased production and death, which has a direct impact on food security and rural economy.
The Project Directorate on Animal Disease Monitoring And Surveillance (PDADMAS) was established in 1987 by the ICAR to develop a system of disease monitoring and surveillance of economically important livestock diseases in the country, with a view to evolve strategic control measures.
The magnitude of livestock diseases affecting the huge and varied livestock population maintained in different geo-agro-climatic zones and poor sanitary conditions demands in depth epidemiological investigation. Currently the disease reporting, monitoring and surveillance of livestock diseases are inadequate, slow and not particularly useful in the control of diseases.
Controlling major livestock diseases has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of the rural poor. Sustained implementation of disease control is often too expensive and as such there is a need for practical, economical and efficient epidemiological approaches.
In this direction, PDADMAS has made significant progress in developing short and long term disease related databases and disease forecasting models using logistic, multiple regression and time series techniques. Moreover weather based forecasting models for endemic diseases have also been developed.
Accurate information about the health status of the animal wealth of the country is essential for initiating disease control strategies through optimal utilization of funds, veterinary resources and human resources
The advances in information technology provide adequate computing techniques to develop a national livestock disease information system which is the prime need of the day. PDADMAS has developed an innovative India Admas Epitrak epidemiology software which is a dynamic and interactive livestock disease related database supported by Geographic Information System (GIS).This software addresses the needs of data collection, retrieval, analysis and critical reporting of disease events as and when they occur and is useful for students, veterinary research stations, field veterinarians, administrators and technocrats.
To strengthen large-scale epidemiological surveys, PD_ ADMAS has successfully developed and released software based, highly sensitive, specific and user friendly ELISA diagnostic kits for bovine brucellosis and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis. It has also created a National directory of 6.39 lakh villages for critical epidemiological sampling frames.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E mail-tpsethu2000@gmail.com
Courtesy- NADRS
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