The top body in the United Nations for food and agriculture has called for "global action" to address the spread of animal diseases across regions.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said that animal diseases, including avian influenza (bird flu), African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and new world screwworm (NWS) pose growing risks to food security, trade and livelihoods.

As these diseases and others move more rapidly across borders, countries are facing increasing pressure to strengthen prevention, preparedness and response systems, the FAO warned.

"The stakes are high. Livestock sectors support more than one billion livelihoods and contribute trillions of dollars in economic value each year," the organisation said.

According to the FAO, protecting animal health is therefore critical not only for farmers and livestock keepers, but also for food security, trade, economic stability and rural prosperity.

The factors driving disease are becoming "increasingly complex", it said.

The FAO said that increased movement of animals, people and products, changing production systems, environmental pressures and uneven veterinary and surveillance capacity are creating new opportunities for diseases and pests to spread across regions.

Addressing these threats requires stronger surveillance, earlier detection, greater information sharing and closer international cooperation, according to the organisation.

Dr. Tiensin Thanawat, FAO assistant director-general for animal production and health division, said: "The impacts of these outbreaks extend far beyond animal health. They disrupt agricultural production, trade, and tourism, threaten livelihoods, increase food security risks, and in some cases pose direct risks to human health."

Avian influenza has resulted in the loss of more than 633 million poultry and threatens a $48 billion market, while foot-and-mouth disease causes $11.3 billion in annual losses and African swine fever has reduced pig herds by over 40% in some parts of Asia.

As well as these diseases, new world screwworm has re-emerged in the US after decades of successful containment.

The FAO said that strong prevention and preparedness remain the most effective and least costly tools for reducing the impact of animal disease outbreak.

When outbreaks exceed national capacity, the FAO acts as the provider of last resort, rapidly deploying expertise, coordinating the response, and mobilizing resources to sustain action when national systems are overwhelmed or other actors cannot operate.

Beth Bechdol, FAO deputy director-general, said: "Experience consistently shows us that prevention and preparedness are more effective - and less costly.

"Investing in animal health systems is one of the most effective ways to protect livelihoods, support trade, strengthen food security and improve resilience across agri-food systems," Bechdol added.

The FAO said it is working with UN member states and partners to "strengthen global capacity" for prevention, preparedness and response to transboundary animal disease.

The organisation said it is working with members to develop the Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD), a long-term, country-owned platform focused on prevention, early warning, preparedness, anticipatory action and rapid response.

The programme is being developed as a collaborative, multi-partner initiative, with a focus on strengthening national capacities, supporting financing approaches, and better linking country-level investments with regional and global support, according to the FAO.