Trans-boundary animal diseases (TADs) comprising rinderpest, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), foot and mouth disease (FMD), African swine fever, Newcastle disease (ND), avian influenza (AI), Rift valley fever and lumpy skin disease have serious socio-economic impacts with regard to trade in livestock and livestock products (LLPs). For the past two decades, the SADC region, notably South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe has enjoyed good economic opportunities for intra- and inter-regional trade in LLPs after having eliminated rinderpest and CBPP. Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania have not been able to participate in this trade on a large scale due to the continued risks and/or occurrence of FMD and CBPP.

The SADC trans-boundary animal diseases project (SADC TADs project) with a budget of US$ 21.6 million is designed to strengthen animal health institutions in the five countries for the risk management of TADs.