Jamaica’s Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke says the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) continues to threaten the poultry industry in the Caribbean.

Addressing a five-day regional workshop on implementing measures for early detection and prevention of the virus, Clarke said it was threatening the livelihoods of millions of poor livestock farmers as well as poultry producers.

He said Caribbean poultry production was critical to the social and economic landscape of the region, with more than 44 million dozen eggs and 130 million broiler birds produced by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) annually.

"There are also in excess of 2,600 commercial poultry farmers in the region, employing some 35,000 to 40,000 people. Additionally, more than 16,000 backyard poultry farmers have been identified and the total ex-factory/farm sales have been valued at US$5 billion," the Minister told the meeting that ends on Friday.

"For Jamaica, chicken continues to be the jost affordable protein source of choice for the mass of the population, and poultry rearing has consistently played the critical role of providing quick cash for small farm households," he said.

Clarke said that Jamaica was currently self-sufficient in egg production with some 2,000 layer farmers supplying an average of 11 million dozen eggs annually, from which there were earnings of J$660 million (US$9.9 million).

Clarke said that an outbreak of the virus in the region would, "not only have devastating economic and public health-related consequences, but would also pose a serious food security risk. We therefore welcome this FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) training intervention".

The workshop is being attended by representation from 13 Caribbean islands and will provide training in epidemiological surveillance and management of poultry and wild birds for the early detection of Bird Flu in the American continent.

He said that although there was no immediate threat to the Caribbean sub-region, the training would go a far way in facilitating preparedness to meet regional and international obligations.

In his remarks, FAO Representative for Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize, Dr. Dunstan Campbell emphasized that, "this workshop is extremely important in assisting countries to put together robust animal disease preparedness plans for invasive species".

"In this particular case, the focus is on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and one of its main transmitters. We are conscious that this region is at present, free of HPAI and the chances of the virus being transmitted by wild birds at this time are slim. However, we are also aware of the impact that its arrival can have on the economies and health of this region," he added.