£13million of new research has been launched today to tackle the significant and growing threat, posed by livestock diseases, on global food security and livelihoods in developing countries.

More than 900 million people in the developing world live below the poverty line in rural areas. Just one animal can meet a whole family's needs, offering individuals a way out of poverty. But deadly and debilitating livestock diseases jeopardise this and lead to an increase in food prices.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department for International Development (DFID), with a contribution from the Scottish Government, have joined forces to fund 16 new projects that bring together world-class UK researchers with institutions in the developing world.

Glasgow’s Dr Sarah Cleaveland, of the Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, has received funding to run two projects.

Dr Cleaveland will work on comparing Foot and Mouth disease in wildlife and livestock Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in both the UK and Tanzania as well as examine Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF) which also affects livestock.

She and her team will spend the next four years, both in the UK and Tanzania, looking at developing effective strategies for controlling FMD and MCF in Africa.

Dr Cleaveland said: “A major problem in Foot and Mouth disease is the genetic variation in the viruses across the continent which makes vaccination difficult. To address this, we will sample wildlife, mainly buffalo and livestock - domestic cattle, sheep and goats - to map the genetic diversity of viruses across Tanzania.

“We are delighted to be involved in this national coordinated effort.”

The BBSRC - DFID funded projects aim to find sustainable solutions to the animal disease threat to improve food security and help to build scientific capacity in the developing world to meet future challenges. Each project has a UK and an international partner, bringing together scientists in 15 UK institutions with researchers in countries including India, Ethiopia and Kenya.

As animal diseases do not respect international frontiers the research announced today will also have significant benefits for UK farmers and consumers. Livestock diseases such as foot and mouth disease, bluetongue, African swine fever and peste des petits ruminants virus are a global concern.

Over the past 15 years livestock diseases are estimated to have cost the UK economy over £15 billion.

Welcoming the research, Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs for the Scottish Government, said: "We are proud that our world class science base in animal health is helping to address such important global issues. The challenges are immense but by working together we can make a real difference to the long term prospects and wellbeing of communities throughout the world."

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson added: "This collaboration demonstrates the UK's determination to share our world-leading science in the search for improved treatments and diagnostic tools in animal health. Animal disease is a deadly threat that leaves no corner of the Earth untouched."

BBSRC Chief Executive, Professor Douglas Kell, continued: "Joining with partners from developing countries, UK science can provide a solid platform for providing disease management solutions from better vaccinations through to more sophisticated diagnostic techniques which will not only transform the lives of millions across the developing world, but also generate a more stable livestock infrastructure globally for the benefit of us all."

All of the projects unveiled today involve unique partnerships between UK scientists and researchers from institutions in Africa, Asia and elsewhere.

Details of all the projects being funded by the new initiative are available at: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2010/100215-livestock-threat-reduce-poverty-increase-food-security.aspx<http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2010/100215-livestock-threat-reduce-poverty-increase-food-security.aspx>

For more media information please contact Eleanor Cowie, Media Relations Officer at the University of Glasgow on 0141 330 3683 or e.cowie@admin.gla.ac.uk

About BBSRC

BBSRC is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around £450 million in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life in the UK  and beyond and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders, including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

For more information see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk
 

First published: 12 February 2010

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