NEWS UPDATE of how to prevent tomorrow's. "This means investing in smallholder farmers to help them address productivity challenges, give them access to markets and finance and most importantly encourage climatesmart agriculture so that when the drought inevitably comes, they have the tools they need to survive and thrive," said Houngbo. Over 1.3 million sheep and goats and 65,000 cattle protected from highly contagious animal diseases In strife-torn Syria, the food security and livelihoods situation of some 234,000 people has received a strong boost thanks to a recently completed animal health campaign led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Syria Veterinary Medical Association. With funding from the United States Government, the three-month campaign has protected more than 1.3 million sheep and goats and 65,000 cattle from parasites and parasitic diseases in Syria. Six years of conflict has undermined Syria's veterinary services and a shortage of vaccines has increased the risk of infection in livestock upon which many people living in rural areas, but also those displaced by the fighting, depend as a source of food or income. "Through this targeted animal health campaign, FAO is working to not only contain disease outbreaks in Syria but also prevent the spread of these diseases to other countries in the region," said Adam Yao, Acting FAO Representative in Syria. "As the response capacity of Syria's veterinary services is facing serious challenges due to the ongoing crisis, the risk of transboundary animal diseases spreading rapidly and beyond borders remains a major concern for FAO. If no drastic measures are immediately taken the effects on livestock production and food security can be devastating," he said. Livestock production played a vital role in the Syrian economy before the crisis, contributing 40 percent of the total agricultural production and absorbing 20 percent of rural employment. Even during the current crisis, the sector still contributes substantially to the food security