United States Funds Vaccinations for 40,000 Goats and SheepUSAID: Humanitarian Assistance to Lebanon U.S. Embassy Beirut As part of helping expand economic opportunities in the agro-industry sector, the U.S. Government provides direct assistance to Lebanese cooperatives and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Beqaa, South Lebanon and North Lebanon. Within this context, the U.S. Government-funded Action for Sustainable Agro-Industry in Lebanon (ASAIL) project launched a large vaccination campaign in the Beqaa targeting more than 40,000 small ruminants, including goats and sheep. The campaign came in response to a threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) epidemic that broke out in the Beqaa. The disease typically causes the mortality of mature flock and the abnormal birth of new flock, as well as results in the loss of income of potential meat and milk sale. The vaccination campaign helped prevent the further dissemination of the disease when more than 1,500 farmers and producers had their herds vaccinated. This initiative falls within the U.S. Government-funded Expanding Economic Opportunity in Lebanon program at a level of $6 million. The program provides assistance to small and medium sized enterprises and cooperatives, including services such as business development, marketing and promotion, access to credit, quality control training and product development. More than 6,000 producers, cooperatives and SMEs benefit from this program in the Beqaa, South Lebanon and North Lebanon. The program covers the agricultural and dairy sectors of small ruminants (goats and sheep), as well as niche market products (cheese, pastries, pickles, jams and processed foods).
March 27, 2007 |
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