Foot-and-mouth disease emergency response in Indonesia

In May 2022, Indonesia announced its first outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle in over 30 years. FAO has been working closely with the Government of Indonesia to respond to the FMD emergency. FMD is a highly contagious transboundary animal disease that affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. The disease has a significant economic impact by threatening both livelihoods and the food supply chain.

In responding to the outbreak, FAO dispatched the Emergency Management Centre (EMC) mission to assess the situation and deliver recommendations for short- and long-term actions. FAO facilitated international coordination between Indonesia, other ASEAN Member States and the private sector regarding FMD vaccine availability and quality standards. FAO facilitated further international collaborative efforts, delivering the first 10 000 doses of FMD vaccines and other essential equipment and supplies to enhance the FMD detection capacity of the government Disease Investigation Centers.

FAO also facilitated several consultation meetings with international experts from various countries to exchange knowledge and best practices on FMD control. FAO trained approximately 400 animal health field officers in 34 provinces in Indonesia via an online course to improve capacities for FMD diagnosis, investigation and response. The course was delivered using globally recognized learning materials through FAO’s Virtual Learning Center.