War in Syria threatens the livelihoods of Lebanese livestock owners

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization issued a warning of an imminent outbreak of high impact trans-boundary animal diseases in Lebanon and neighboring countries in the wake of the fleeing of some 1.5 million refugees who have brought with them large numbers of unvaccinated sheep, cattle and goats. The Organization is now carrying out the second phase of an emergency campaign to immunize as much of the country’s livestock as possible. Likewise, the Lebanese Agriculture Ministry has warned that the epidemic could hit some 70000 cattle and 900000 sheep and goats. One farmer from the Beqaa complained, “The most common problem now is the animal fever,” adding, “some animals are actually dying, which directly affects the farmers’ livelihoods.” According to FAO estimates almost 60% of livestock farmers in Lebanon depend on dairy animals as their main source of income. (Al Diyar, 12 April 2015)