Over 170 Vehicles Distributed for Prevention of PPR Disease

Addis ababa, May 8/2020(ENA) Ministry of Agriculture has provided today 28 cars and 146 motorcycles for six regions in order to facilitate the prevention of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a contagious trans-boundary disease which has severe negative socio-economic impacts on the income of livestock farmers.

Agriculture Minister Umer Hussen handed over the vehicles to representatives of Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz and Gambela regions to help prevent PPR in 58 woredas of the regions, benefiting more than 8.8 farmers.

He added that the ministry will supervise the regions to ensure that the vehicles are used for the intended purpose, which is being productive in terms of quality and health supply of animal products.

The vehicles, including those alloted to Livestock and Fisheries Sector Development Project National Coordination Office, were purchased with over 70 million USD.

The long-term loan from World Bank will assist the fight against PPR disease and support the commitment to eradicate it by 2027, three years before the world, it was learned.

Ministry of Agriculture has distributed 122 cars under the same project to regions six months ago for similar purpose.

The Peste des petits ruminants disease, clinically confirmed in 1991, mainly kills sheep and goats in Ethiopia where millions of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist as well as most farmers heavily depend on for food and economic benefits, jeopardizing food security of people and limiting the economic gains of the country from these animals to its lowest.