Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is conducting a five-day seminar focused on epidemiological control and risk assessment for animal health.

The seminar is part of the project “Strengthening Capacity in Animal Health, ‘One Health,’ and Antimicrobial Resistance to Prevent and Mitigate Zoonotic Threats in Uzbekistan.”

More than 24 veterinary specialists and researchers from various regions of Uzbekistan, including Karakalpakstan, are participating in the training. The seminar aims to enhance their expertise in identifying and responding to animal health threats.

The program includes practical sessions on epidemiological monitoring, prioritization of risk areas and groups, on-site risk assessments, identification of pathogen transmission pathways, and the use of digital tools for data collection and analysis. Special emphasis is placed on zoonotic diseases and the safety of animal-based food products in the context of international trade.

The seminar is led by Javier Gutian, an epidemiological consultant from the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency, head of FAO’s Veterinary Epidemiology Reference Center, and director of the Risk Analysis and Modeling Center of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). He highlighted the critical importance of improving epidemiological monitoring and animal health protection in Uzbekistan.

Habibullo Hamdamov, national coordinator of the FAO-USAID project, noted that the training will enable specialists to effectively detect diseases, assess risks, and respond promptly to threats, which is essential for maintaining epidemiological stability in the country.

By the end of the seminar, participants are expected to be proficient in applying epidemiological principles for animal health monitoring, using risk assessment tools to manage issues in this field, and conducting systematic risk evaluations related to animal health protection.