Agriculture ministries launch health and safety initiatives

In Eswatini, the Ministry of Agriculture has called for coordinated efforts to manage and eliminate highly hazardous pesticides. During an executive meeting involving the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), officials emphasized the need for an integrated approach to protect human health, livestock, and the environment while maintaining agricultural productivity.

In Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. This initiative follows a rise in dog bite incidents in the Bombali District. The government is implementing a ‘One Health’ approach, which includes expanded mass dog vaccination campaigns and strengthened veterinary surveillance to manage the risks associated with human-animal interactions.