Millions of people in Africa depend on livestock — including cows, sheep, goats, and chickens — for food security and household income. Therefore, when these animals fall ill, livelihoods are directly threatened.
Each year, 20% of livestock production is lost to disease. Fortunately, the solution is within reach: improving the availability and accessibility of high-quality vaccines and medicines to safeguard animal health and, in turn, protect entire communities.
Vaccination is a vital tool in controlling disease outbreaks and preventing devastating losses. Diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Rift Valley Fever (RVF), or Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) not only threaten animal health but also endanger nutrition, food security, and household income.
For example, PPR causes economic losses estimated USD 1.2 to 1.7 billion annually, with one-third of the impact in Africa and a quarter in South Asia. CCPP alone has a yearly economic impact of around USD 507 million. Imagine a single vaccine capable of tackling these devastating diseases simultaneously.
Multivalent vaccines — which protect against multiple diseases in a single dose — offer a strong return on investment. They are a cost-effective solution for small-scale producers, reducing the need for multiple interventions and saving time and resources while offering broader protection.
Together with partners, GALVmed has supported the development of multivalent vaccines targeting livestock diseases that most severely impact food security and livelihoods across Africa.
After years of research and development, three of GALVmed’s commercial partners — JOVAC, Hester Biosciences, and M.C.I. Santé Animale — have achieved market authorisation for three multivalent vaccines:
- CBPP, Lumpy Skin Disease, and Rift Valley Fever
- Newcastle Disease and Infectious Bursal Disease
- CCPP, Sheep and Goat Pox, and PPR
With a single shot or administration, farmers can now affordably and effectively protect their herds against multiple diseases, making a meaningful contribution to household nutrition, income, and long-term resilience. This is a powerful return on investment that highlights the inherent value of vaccination.
GALVmed remains committed to supporting the development and commercialisation of livestock vaccines, ensuring that small-scale producers across Africa have access to the tools they need to protect their animals.
By safeguarding livestock health, we help unlock economic stability, opportunity, and sustainable growth. Because when livestock are healthy, farmers thrive and entire communities move forward.
Photo credit: FAO/Luis Tato
Written by Patricia Valdeón Noya as part of the campaign “The Impact of Livestock Diseases”