Mobilisation of support for Africa-wide training program: Newcastle disease control in village chickens.
Newcastle disease (ND), known as ‘Fengil’ in Ethiopia, is widespread across Africa with outbreaks regularly resulting in chicken mortalities of 50-100%. The control of ND in village chickens makes a significant contribution to food security and poverty alleviation of households and communities.
Kyeema team members have recently returned from Ethiopia where they worked with the African Union Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC) and the Ethiopian government to review and pre-test ND training curricula, manuals and extension materials.
Kyeema has built the capacity of partner governments and local communities in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia to produce, distribute and use the thermotolerant I-2 vaccine to control ND. To expand these activities, Kyeema, together with AU-PANVAC, has developed training curricula, manuals and related extension materials for the prevention and control of ND.
Master Trainers from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania and Kyeema staff with Zoë Tiller and Elise Nalbandian from the Australian Embassy in Ethiopia.
In early September, two key activities were undertaken with funding support from the Australian Embassy in Ethiopia:
- Master Trainers from across Africa met at AU-PANVAC to review the ND training curricula prior to finalising them for distribution across African Union Member States. Three key training ND curricula were reviewed: Vaccine production and quality assurance, Laboratory diagnostics and field use.
Dr Betemaryam from the EIAR showing the picture at the female focus group discussion in Ambo Mesk village.
2. Field training materials were adapted to the Ethiopian context and translated to Amharic by the Ethiopian Institute for Agriculture Research. The training manual, posters and vaccination calendar for Community Vaccinators were pre-tested in two villages in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Pre-testing is a vital process in the development of effective training and extension materials. The materials need to be believable, appealing and understandable in the local context to be effective. Pretesting showed that participants had difficulty understanding certain posters. From this, the most effective extension materials to promote vaccination activities were identified.
The recent trip to Ethiopia was a notable success. Kyeema has been able to consolidate effective training curricula and extension materials, which will enhance the control of ND in village chickens.
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