Global Agriculture

FAO welcomes $10 million USA contribution to its COVID-19 response efforts

24 December 2021, Rome: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today welcomed a $10 million contribution from the United States of America to its COVID-19 response efforts and to help counter other challenges that threaten human, animal and environmental health, including future pandemics.

In a letter to FAO, the U.S. State Department said the funding is intended to support the agency’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, part of its broader One Health programme.

More specifically, the funding aims to help strengthen national and international One Health systems through enhanced multisectoral early warning, risk assessment and risk reduction, and the progressive management of emerging and endemic zoonotic and high impact animal and plant pests and diseases, including those with epidemic and pandemic potential.

“We thank the Government of the United States of America (USA) for its generous support to FAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program and One Health Tripartite risk assessments at national levels,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said. “A science-based One Health approach across agrifood systems is critical for early warning and prevention of zoonotic diseases.”

The contribution from the United States will benefit countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East.

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