Kabul, September 15, 2025 – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has raised an alert over the growing threat of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) — a highly contagious viral disease affecting sheep and goats — in Afghanistan.
Also known as “sheep and goat plague,” PPR poses a critical threat to livestock-dependent communities in the region. In response, FAO has initiated an emergency mass vaccination campaign, with three million animals vaccinated in September alone.
The campaign is being conducted with support from the United Kingdom, targeting high-risk areas where the disease could decimate herds and severely impact food systems.
FAO emphasized the urgent need to contain the outbreak, highlighting that animal health is closely tied to human health, food security, and livelihoods. Preventing the spread of PPR is essential to protect not just livestock but also the nutrition and income sources of Afghan families who rely heavily on pastoral and agricultural resources.
With livestock forming a major part of Afghanistan’s rural economy, the ongoing vaccination drive is viewed as a critical step in mitigating long-term food insecurity in the wake of worsening economic and humanitarian conditions.
