AGIRs (Animal and Integrated Risks Managment) Research Unit

• Epidemiology and Ecology of Animal Diseases

The distribution and intensity of many animal and zoonotic diseases have changed in recent years. In spite of the progress made on vaccinations and treatments, most of the major trans-border directly-transmitted diseases are still a problem. Several vector-borne diseases that were even recently restricted to the tropics are now knocking on Europe’s door. The effect of these recent changes, resulting from environmental disruption and anthropization, has not yet been fully assessed.

Veterinary epidemiology has really taken off, and is applied to directly-transmitted and vector-borne diseases using the same tools and methods. The unit’s research operations are expanding, largely thanks to improvements in statistical and computer tools and to the development of information systems. It is increasingly necessary to understand the pathological phenomena that occur at host population level, and to analyse how they function and the key factors in changing environments, in order to pinpoint the appropriate prevention and integrated control methods.

Contact : François Roger (francois.roger@cirad.fr )

• Integrated Wild life Management

Tropical ecosystems constitute a home to a great variety of wild animals. However, they are under increasing pressures which are transforming the landscape, the resources and the habitats. Wildlife is at the very heart of conservation projects. It represents both a major research topic and an asset for analysing the interactions between ecological and social dynamics and to investigate their impact on resources’ strength and evolution in practices and habits.

The unit works to build tools, practices and innovations that help integrating wildlife conservation into rationales and policies of development. Its researches focus on three assumptions: that wildlife resources play a significant role in ensuring food safety for local communities; that they are particularly sensitive to global changes and local disruptions; and that the services rendered by wildlife could be optimized by ensuring that the constraints and conflicts linked to the cohabitation of wild and domestic animals are kept under control.

Director : François Monicat ( francois.monicat@cirad.fr )

Website : www.cirad.fr/ur/agirs

Control of Emerging and Exotic Animal Diseases Research Unit

Infectious diseases are a major limitation for animal breeding in developing countries. They could have a direct impact on production and sometimes on human health. They are preventing many countries to be involved international trade.

The unit conducts in-depth researches on animal diseases in order to improve and facilitate their detection and control. Its results, collected most of the time on a short time window, should have direct implication in infected countries but also in regions which are at present disease-free but may be at risk in future. To this end, the unit is involved in setting up international animal health and public veterinary health networks. Indeed, as a result of global changes linked to environmental disruption, increase in animal and animal products world trade, human population dynamics and terrorist activities many exotic countries are becoming a threat for disease-free countries, especially in Europe.

Director : Dominique Martinez (dominique.martinez@cirad.fr )

Livestock Systems and Animal Product Management Research Unit

Animal production systems in developing countries are constantly evolving in response to pressure on natural resources and to growing local demand for animal products. Producers often have to make major technical, economic and social changes in order to intensify their farming systems. At the same time, developing countries’ trade markets in are opening up, and it is now vital that local commodity chains become more competitive.

The unit uses its expertise in fodder crops and animal feeds, in zootechnics and product sanitary quality, and in economics and modelling to conduct on one hand integrative researches on the key factors in animal production performance; on management of food supply and on changes in farmers’ intensification practices, and on the other end, researches on the impact of those changes on production system sustainability, product quality and commodity chain competitiveness.

Director : Didier Richard (didier.richard@cirad.fr )

Website : UR 18