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Broad developmental objectives
Through research, development and innovation (RD & I), the Livestock Production Network Node aims to improve
livestock production and productivity by reducing the negative impact of vector borne
diseases for enhancement of livelihoods and poverty reduction in at least five participating
countries within the Southern African NEPAD Region.
Objectives
- To determine the policies, needs, existing capacities, and technologies already
existing of the collaborating countries regarding diagnosis, surveillance and control
of the TBDs, Trypanosomoses and their vectors;
- To establish linkages, networking and collaboration with regional institutions such as
SADC Livestock Unit in Gaborone, AU-CTTBD in Lilongwe; AU-IBAR, KARI &
ILRI in Nairobi;
- To utilize our biodiversity and promote Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) for
generation of natural products for livestock diseases control;
- To train and build capacity of livestock development specialists (veterinarians,
scientists, technologists, extension workers and farmers) in Southern African region;
- To Conduct RD & I on livestock diseases epidemiology, vector ecology/population
dynamics and diagnostic methods.
Beneficiaries
The major beneficiaries of the project are the resource poor traditional farmers stricken by the
poverty vicious circle and suffer from food insecurity by primarily depending on livestock for crop production draft power and as their only sources of income from direct sale of animals
and animal products to earn their livelihoods. The other beneficial aspect of this project to
traditional farmers will be the popularization and commercialization of some Indigenous
Knowledge Systems, through IPRs, which would otherwise be lost to bigger industrialists.
The other beneficiaries will be the Southern African community in general. The project will
ultimately provide for a more sustained supply of livestock products to the ever increasing
regional populations and excess products could be exported in order to earn the region the
much needed foreign exchange, and thus boosting the national GDPs.
Results
The overall impact of this project is a sustainable improvement in the people’s food security,
socio-economic security and human welfare in general, by reducing the negative impact of
livestock vector- borne diseases. The major contributing factor to high levels of poverty in
the traditional farming communities is the inadequacy of livestock as a source of draft power
for crops cultivation or ready income from sales; inadequacy of the extension service for
improved technological management and non-affordability of diseases preventive and
curative substances. From that perspective, the project results are outlined below:
- When better diseases control policies and already existing better technologies are
established by the planned audit, advocacy and awareness campaigns are conducted
and enforcement achieved at regional level, management and control of diseases will
start to improve.
- Strategic networks/linkages and collaboration with institutions such as KARI, AUIBAR,
AU-CTTBD, SADC-LU and ILRI that are already addressing similar
concerns, will help to utilize this projects limited resources well by not duplicating
activities already carried out in the region and by synergistically tackling the issues of
concern. This way, the anticipated results could be achieved quicker.
- IKS validated and valorized for integrated diseases management. This is the main
thrust of the project and that’s how sustainability is guaranteed. Once this Indigenous
Knowledge, already existing among the traditional sectors, is validated/valorized,
propagations and popularization for wider integrated usage/applications will be
carried out. These are materials all the farmers would afford to use unlike the present
scenario of only imported expensive substances. Some farmers within the
communities will be encouraged for entrepreneurship.
- Capacity building for laboratory technologists, extension workers, farmers and
scientists is absolutely necessary for integrated management of vector- borne diseases.
Once some farmers get trained, several others in communities will access the skills.
- Increased access to and use of research findings for diagnoses and management. The
accurate understanding of the current disease epidemiologies will facilitate in
developing better control and management strategies.
- When all or some of the above is executed the prevalence rates of TBDs and
Trypanosomoses and their respective vectors will reduce coupled with increased
livestock productivity opportunities by farmers in the region. At this point, farmers
will start to have animals for draft power, animal products or for sale in exchange for
money as a sure way of fighting poverty.
- Increased livestock marketing opportunities for farmers in the region. This means that
when the sector starts to improve, several other players will participate. The value
addition principal.
Sustainability
With the BioFISA budgetary resources available to the project, the possibilities are that
certain activities may not be accomplished. The Node takes it upon itself to start sourcing for
additional funds from other sources.
The deliverables envisaged at the end of the project are attractive enough to attract additional
funding from other agencies and national governments. The important demonstration by this
project will be the anticipated impact.
In addition, from initial planning stages of this project sustainability was considered critical.
Hence, the focus is on IKS because of its sustainability.
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