World Food Security

Transboundary plant pests and animal diseases "Those that are of significant economic, trade and/or food security importance for a considerable number of countries; which can easily spread to other countries and reach epidemic proportions; and where control/management, including exclusion, requires cooperation between several countries." –Definition recommended by FAO EMPRES Expert Consultation, July 1996 (

Migratory Plant Pests Armyworm caterpillars that develop into nocturnal moths, capable of long-distance migration (covering more than 100 km per night). Cause extensive damage to grazing land, cereals and sugar cane. Locusts the most damaging of the migratory pests. Adapted to semi-arid or desert environments where rainfall is scarce and irregular

Animal Diseases African swine fever African swine fever is the most lethal transboundary disease affecting pigs. It is also a virus disease that has shown a great propensity for sudden and unexpected international spread over great distances. This is often associated with the transportation of virus-contaminated pig meat products, including food scraps in waste from ships and aircraft. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Prion based - was first detected in the United Kingdom in Transmitted through meat and bone meal (MBM) feed supplements containing infected particles from affected animals. Spread to humans through the consumption of infected tissues causing a fatal neurological disease known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Foot-and-mouth disease Highly contagious and can spread extremely rapidly in cloven- hoofed livestock populations through movement of infected animals and animal products, contaminated objects (for example livestock trucks) and even wind currents existence of wildlife reservoirs for the virus Newcastle disease Virus spread primarily through bird-to-bird contact among chickens, but it can also spread through contaminated feed, water or clothing Rift Valley fever Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne viral zoonotic disease in Egypt in 1977, caused an estimated human cases of the disease and approximately 600 deaths, as well as large numbers of deaths and abortions in sheep, cattle and other livestock species

Malnutrition 800 million people in developing countries today face chronic malnutrition 199 million children under the age of five suffer from acute or chronic protein and energy deficiencies

570 million of the world's women suffer from anemia 60 percent of the 11 million childhood deaths in developing countries each year are associated with malnutrition

160 million children under five are stunted due to protein energy malnutrition 740 million people suffer from iodine deficiency disorders 250 million children under five suffer from vitamin A deficiency

Food Safety Contaminated food is a major cause of epidemic diarrhea Contaminated food contributes to malnutrition and kills about 2.2 million people each year, most of them children.

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency Pellagra – niacin deficiency skin and mouth lesions, diarrhea, delirium, and dementia Primary deficiency usually occurs in areas where maize (Indian corn) forms a major part of the diet. Iodine Deficiency worldwide, endemic iodine deficiency is a major cause of hypothyroidism. Severe maternal iodine deficiency retards fetal growth and brain development. Endemic cretinism may occur.

Protein Deficiency Marasmus, results from near starvation with deficiency of protein and nonprotein nutrients. The marasmic child consumes very little food--often because his mother is unable to breastfeed--and is very thin from loss of muscle and body fat. Kwashiorkor, an African word meaning "first child- second child." The weaned child is fed a thin gruel of poor nutritional quality (compared with mother's milk) and fails to thrive. The protein deficiency is usually more marked than the energy deficiency, and edema results. Children with kwashiorkor tend to be older than those with marasmus.