Animal agriculture is a considerable economic driver in the developing world. For example, livestock-related activities contribute 61 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in sub-Saharan Africa and more than 50 percent of the capital invested in agriculture in Africa is in the form of livestock. And yet, it is widely reported that preventable diseases kill 25 percent of livestock herds in Africa and South Asia – and lower the productivity or value of millions of more animals – every year.

The health of farm animals has a direct impact on the economic health of these societies.

• For most smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia, livestock are a truly indispensible source of economic opportunity.
• According to the World Bank, only 4 percent of international aid is directed to agricultural needs in developing countries.