Annotation. Illustrated with review studies on animal health economics, this book presents information on the most important economic tools applied to livestock, covering both theory and practical applications. Topics covered include gross margin analysis, partial budgeting, investment and financial appraisal and cost-benefit analysis. There are also sections on decision tree analysis, optimisation methods, value chain analysis, new institutional economics, DALYs and a range of policy analysis tools. International experts contribute on important theoretical and practical aspects of animal health and production economics, with global themes on livestock and poverty.

Considering individual animals and herds as economic units makes health an economic consideration. Animal health economics is principally concerned with the economic decision making behind controlling animal diseases, from individual animals and local herds to the national herd and international disease control efforts. Climate change, the spread of exotic diseases, changes in national policies and the emergence of new diseases all impact upon animal health. This book discusses the tools and analysis behind measuring and evaluating animal health at various levels.

A guide to the field of animal health economics and its underlying methodology. Supplied with this book is a diskette, containing practical exercises (in computer spreedsheets) on the various methods and techniques in animal health economics, including production function analysis.

It is argued that while considerable development of animal health economics has occured in recent decades, it has not yet achieved its potential coverage. It has been mostly applied to livestock, particularly livestock used for commerce, and its application to a range of other animals has been relatively neglected. Extending its coverage also requires widening the type of objectives taken into account in the analysis. Futhermore, the main focus of animal health economics has been on the economics of controlling and managing the occurence of diseases. The economic role of genetics, the environment, nutrition and the comfort of animals in their health ought to be given greater attention. In the case of zoonoses, the economic analysis should be extended to take into account human health. Those syudying animal health economics need to make decisions in their analysis about its spatial dimensions, its time dimensions, and the stakeholders to be considered. They must also take into account health chains and make allowances for risk and uncertainty. The economics of knowledge (including, for example, information economics and research and development) is worthy of more attention in animal health economics. Many important questions arise in animal health economics but two big ones might be: (1) what role should governments play in managing animal health and how should their involvement be financed; and (2) what precautions for maintaining animal health are economic? In conclusion, some reasons are suggested for animal health economics being anable to achieve its portential coverage.

Animal health and economics are closely linked. Any decision taken to prevent, control and eliminate an animal disease is based not only on the technical knowledge available about a particular disease but also on the effectiveness and socio-economic aspects associated with interventions and mitigation measures implemented by governments, producers and all the actors along the livestock value chains. Economic rationale drives decisions in assessing particular investments which are likely to result in a benefit for society or for a specific stakeholder, including livestock farmers and communities. These guidelines prepared by FAO will contribute to a better understanding of the importance of economic analysis when assessing the impact of a particular animal disease in production, trade, market access, food security and livelihoods of rural communities, or when designing or implementing an animal health strategy at national, regional or global level. This framework will provide a good communication tool between animal health technicians, veterinarians and economists in developing countries and will encourage a well informed collaboration between veterinarians, animal health experts, economists and social scientists for livestock and socio-economic development. Economic analysis should be an essential part of animal disease policies and disease management strategies.

This book provides an overview of the state of animal agriculture and present methodologies and proposals to develop policies that result in sustainable and profitable animal production that will protect human and environmental health, enhance livelihood of smallholders and meet consumer needs. The book combines lessons of the past, factual foundation to understand the present, analytical tools to design and improve policies, case studies that provide both empirical grounding and applications of some of the strategies suggested in this book, and finally, a proposal for the way forward.

This two-volume book provides an important overview to EU economic and policy issues related to the development of the bioeconomy. What have been the recent trends and what are the implications for future economic development and policy making? Where does EU bioeconomy policy sit within an international context and what are the financial frameworks behind them? Volume I explores the economic theory of bioeconomy policy, as well as European integration, European agriculture, EU budget and future developments in EU agriculture policies.