Armenia Advances Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control with FAO and EuFMD Support

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) remains one of the most serious transboundary animal diseases worldwide. It is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads rapidly among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. FMD spreads rapidly through direct contact between animals, contaminated feed and products, aerosols, or even equipment, vehicles, and clothing. The disease causes severe economic losses for farmers in Armenia and impacts food security situation․ 

To stay ahead of the threat, Armenia is working closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) through the Progressive Control Pathway for FMD (PCP-FMD). This regional cooperation has strengthened early warning systems, promoted harmonized vaccination strategies, and improved national preparedness to respond to potential outbreak.

From 18 to 20 August 2025, Yerevan hosted the National PCP-FMD Workshop which gathered government official, veterinary experts, farmers’ organizations, and international partners to   advance Armenia’s National FMD Control Strategy. The workshop, organized under the “Move FAST – GET Prepared” strategy of EuFMD, with FAO support marked an important milestone for Armenia as the newest member of EuFMD.

Over the three-days, participants were introduced to practical tools and methodology to assess the economic costs and benefits of FMD control measures in Armenia. Discussions focused on refining research questions, reviewing existing data, and designing an evaluation of long-term vaccination strategies. The goal was to provide Armenia with a clear, evidence-based framework to guide decision making and to ensure that results inform national policies for disease prevention and control.

High-level meetings with the Ministry of Economy and the Chief Veterinary Officer following the workshop underscored Armenia’s commitment to grounding FMS prevention and control in science and strong regional cooperation.