Laboratory assessment and training activities

Kyeema provided general advice and undertook a series of assessment and training activities supporting I-2 Newcastle disease vaccine related activities in Africa under a subcontract with the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed).

Dr Mary Young conducted a needs assessment of the vaccine production unit at the Senegal Agricultural Research Institute and made recommendations for improvements to support sustainable vaccine production for ND I-2.

Regional Newcastle Disease Control Project: Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia

The Australian Government through the former Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has provided long-term support to the Kyeema in southern Africa for this project. The project aim was to strengthen the capacity of the Governments of Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia to develop and implement efficient and sustainable Newcastle disease (ND) control and village poultry extension programs to improve the welfare of rural communities.

Laboratory assessment and training activities in Ghana, Senegal, DRC, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho
Kyeema Master Trainers Drs Msami and Shirima conducted cold chain training for veterinary service providers and training of trainers for Ward facilitators from a pilot project area in Tanzania. 19 service providers participated in cold chain training and 33 Ward Facilitators attended improved poultry management and more specialised training in ND control training using the thermotolerant I-2 vaccine.

Happy Chicken project

The Palladium Group provided funds to Kyeema to support the “Happy Chicken” program at Teitei in Fiji run by Sustainable Environmental Livelihoods for the Future (SELF). The project aimed to meet the increased demand for climate-adapted chickens for cyclone rehabilitation and food security in South Pacific communities.

Family poultry production for wildlife conservation in Madagascar

Members of the International Rural Poultry Centre of Kyeema have been involved in the program since its inception in 2011.

This has been in the form of scoping activities, community liaison, vaccine production technical input and vaccinator training.

In January 2016 a three day workshop was conducted at the National Veterinary Vaccine Institute to provide technical support for local production on the thermotolerant I-2 vaccine. Mr. Amilcar da Silva (Mozambique), Master Trainer of the I-2 ND vaccine based at the Directorate of Animal Sciences (DCA) in Maputo, was contracted to lead this workshop. In February 2016 a “training of trainers” workshop by Dr Julia De Bruyn (Australia) was led for those who will go on to conduct community based workshops for community vaccinators.

The first vaccination campaign took place in the Makira Protected Area in April 2016 and work continued with producing I-2 vaccination, establishing distribution procedures, training vaccinators and raising community awareness of the potential for ND control through vaccination.

Funding source: San Fransisco Zoo, USA
Partners: University of Sydney, Wildlife Conservation Society

Laboratory assessment and training activities

Kyeema provided general advice and undertook a series of assessment and training activities supporting I-2 Newcastle disease vaccine related activities in Africa under a subcontract with the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed).

Dr Mary Young undertook two visits to the Accra Veterinary Laboratory – an initial needs assessment visit, followed by a review of progress on recommendations made during first visit, in order to improve I-2 ND vaccine production capacity and support sustainable vaccine production for ND I-2. Together with Dr Zuhara, she undertook a follow-up visit to Ghana to conduct a workshop on I-2 ND vaccine production and quality control, with eight participants from Ghana and the DRC attending.

Mkulima Young

With support from the Australian High Commission in Nairobi’s Direct Aid Program, we worked with our Kenyan partner ACLECOPS (the developer of the platform Mkulima Young), to upgrade the functionality of the platform and promote it to new users in Kenya and Uganda.

Mkulima Young

With support from the Australian High Commission in Nairobi’s Direct Aid Program, we worked with our Kenyan partner ACLECOPS (the developer of the platform Mkulima Young), to upgrade the functionality of the platform and promote it to new users in Kenya and Uganda.

Village poultry for better livelihoods in Mbuji Mayi in the Kaisai-Oriental province

Since 2018, our partners the AusCongo Network (ACN) have been busy working to improve the health and production of village poultry for better livelihoods in Mbuji Mayi in the Kaisai-Oriental province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Our funding supported three vaccination campaigns in August 2018, December 2018 and April 2019.

Laboratory assessment and training activities
Dr Mary Young undertook two visits to the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kinshasa – an initial needs assessment visit, followed by a review of progress made to date on recommendations made during first visit, in order to improve their ND vaccine production capacity.

Regional Newcastle Disease Control Project: Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia

The Australian Government through the former Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has provided long-term support to the Kyeema in southern Africa for this project. The project aim was to strengthen the capacity of the Governments of Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia to develop and implement efficient and sustainable Newcastle disease (ND) control and village poultry extension programs to improve the welfare of rural communities.

Laboratory assessment and training activities in Ghana, Senegal, DRC, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho

Kyeema provided general advice and undertook a series of assessment and training activities supporting I-2 Newcastle disease vaccine related activities in Africa under a subcontract with the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed).

Kyeema Master Trainers Drs Msami and Shirima conducted a similar program for ten Agricultural Technical Officers in Lesotho. Training focused on the use of freeze-dried I-2 ND vaccine applied via eye drop, aspects of village chicken husbandry practices and the cold chain. This was followed by training of forty Community Vaccinators in important aspects of poultry management and more specialised training in ND control.

Junior Farmer Field Schools Pilot Project

The JFFS provides technical, business and life skills, while at the same time providing some constructive activities (and avoiding risky ones) to help junior farmers to get started in income generating enterprises and help support their families, and themselves, into the future.

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) proposed using poultry as a model to develop farming/entrepreneurial skills that would yield several benefits. The high turnover rate of poultry allows for the rapid exposure of JFFS members to production and market processes, and is valuable in the financial management planning and learning process as well. Members can learn about extensive and semi-intensive production systems to enable them to choose the production system(s) best suited to their individual situation.

The IRPC was invited to assist ICRISAT to develop and test curriculum and training modules on extensive and/or semi-intensive poultry production, for use in both Farmer Field Schools and Junior Farmer Field Schools (the latter targeting youth involved in HIV/AIDS mitigation and prevention programs) in Zimbabwe.

Participatory curriculum development activities revealed that JFFS members are generally interested in poultry production. A range of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools were used to gain information on poultry production and poultry farmers’ aspirations. Members of the JFFS were also invited to write down topics they would like included in the JFFS poultry curriculum. The process indicated that the JFFS members wished to know more about general poultry husbandry (e.g. housing, feeding, watering and disease control) and basic avian physiology (e.g. reproductive cycles).

Kyeema facilitated sessions on improving village chicken production and also assisted workshop participants to prepare three comparative trials to be conducted by the JFFS poultry groups. Due to the lack of reference material dealing with the improved production of indigenous poultry, the IRPC placed considerable emphasis on the preparation of a manual for JFFS facilitators.

Solomon Islands: Improved Village Poultry Keeping

Russell Parker has dedicated many years to improving village poultry keeping in the Solomon Islands.

Over 80% of the 500,000 population of the Solomons live in a rural subsistence lifestyle, with village poultry the primary source of dietary protein. More than 30% of the children are malnourished and the population generally is protein starved.
Kyeema was granted funds by GRM International to support Russell with the implementation of a training manual and to undertake training of village trainers, as well as villagers themselves, right across the country.

The training workshops produced fifteen master trainers from various areas of the Solomon Islands, who are now capable of conducting training sessions in improved village chicken management. These trainers were also involved in expanding the use of these concepts across the western Pacific area. From this training and assistance, the people in the villages have benefited from sustained food and income.

The training manual is now available in hardcopy, CD and online here at the Pacific Islands Farmers Organisation Network. Further specific poultry keeping advice is also available through this sit

Vaccine Cold Chain training

Dr. Mary Young carried out an assessment of the Central Biological Production Laboratory in Kathmandu and participated in a Cold Chain Refresher Workshop at a Newcastle disease pilot project area in Nepal.

Retailers/distributors of veterinary inputs, community facilitators, community animal health workers, veterinary experts, and the NGO implementing the project in the project area all participated in the workshop. The important features of the cold chain, cold chain management and vaccine handling were discussed.

Support for Avian Influenza Control in Indonesia

During 2006-2008, Kyeema provided an international expert on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Dr Mary Young, to work with both Provincial and central Governments in the development and implementation of provincial strategies for North Sumatra and Banda Aceh and a national strategy for the management of highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture.

She also assessed the efficacy of the national strategy towards Newcastle disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Banda Aceh and North Sumatra in Indonesia.

South-East and East Asian countries have been severely affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This follows the emergence of a new virulent strain of virus in southern China in 1996 and its subsequent spread throughout the region since 2003. From past experience, it is understood that intimate contact between livestock (poultry and swine) and people in parts of Asia creates a favourable situation for the evolution of a human pandemic strain. The current strain of the virus (designated H5N1 by virtue of the characterisation of surface markers) has already demonstrated its ability to infect and kill people. It has been fatal in approximately 50 per cent of people who have tested positive for the disease. To date, there is limited evidence of person-to-person transmission. Swine and other affected mammals appear to be only incidentally infected, playing no significant role in virus transmission. However, this situation could change rapidly and the emergence, by recombination or mutation, of a highly pathogenic strain of Influenza which could transmit rapidly between people and cause a global pandemic is a matter of international concern. The most effective means of protecting human welfare is to combat the precursor virus in its Avian hosts, thus pre-empting the appearance of a pandemic strain.

Laos: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Technical Advice

In March 2005, FAO requested Dr Robyn Alders to work as a short term technical adviser to assist in the decentralized team of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) in Lao PDR.

She provided the FAO representative with technical expertise and guidance on animal health and Avian Influenza issues, including collaborating on the review and preparation of technical reports, project concept notes, proposals, briefing documents and related information on Avian Influenza. She also ensured general supervision and coordination of project activities and facilitated and participated in national technical meetings, workshops and training sessions on Avian Influenza with government groups, the donor community and multilateral agencies.

The report suggested improvements to information, education and communication material relating to the prevention and control of Avian Influenza, to facilitate the development of the most effective program to control Avian Influenza in Laos PDR.

Kyeema provided support and professional guidance on the production of I-2 Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine to the Viral Vaccines Production Laboratory, Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department in Yangon in September 2014.

Kyeema conducted a workshop on I-2 ND Vaccine Production and Quality Assurance at the Viral Vaccines Production Unit, to refresh the participants’ knowledge of and skills in I-2 ND vaccine production, testing and distribution. This was achieved through discussions and problem solving exercises. Staff members from the I-2 production units in Yangon and Taunggyi participated.

The workshop was funded by the University of Queensland under an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project ‘Improving livelihoods of small scale livestock producers in the Central Dry Zone through research on animal production and health in Myanmar’.

Newcastle disease control
The Angolan government requested support to set up a program to reduce and control outbreaks of Newcastle disease, which is a major concern for disadvantaged rural communities in Angola.

In response, the European Commission funded Kyeema to work directly with the Angolan government from 2009-2012 to set up I-2 Newcastle disease vaccine production and trial its use in the field.

The program was based in Lubango in the south of Angola and worked directly with the Angolan Veterinary Services Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. There was a strong desire from the Angolan government to get ND vaccination programs up and running as quickly as possible.

Assosiate Professor Robyn Alders undertook an inception visit to Angola in October 2008 to design the program and later joined the project as Team Leader in July 2011. Under the project Kyeema assisted the government to purchase additional laboratory equipment, consumables and to rehabilitate the laboratory electrical system and the cool room. Kyeema also trained laboratory personnel in the production and quality control of the I-2 vaccine and established twinning activities between the vaccine production laboratories in Angola and Mozambique. The Angola Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries inaugurated the laboratory on 3 May 2012.

Timor-Leste: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Technical Advice

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations requested Dr Robyn Alders to be a member of the National Task Force for Avian Influenza in Timor-Leste.

The role of the Task Force was to prepare a Preparedness and Response Plan for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Although Timor-Leste is free from HPAI, the disease is endemic in most provinces of Indonesia (the country’s nearest neighbour with which it shares a land border). Timor-Leste is also at risk of contracting HPAI because of farming systems that include close contact between people, poultry and swine.

Dr Alders assisted the Task Force to facilitate development of a manual on the prevention and control of HPAI for Veterinarians and District Livestock Officers in Timor-Leste. She also assisted in the development and revision of improved village and small-scale poultry production strategies and programs that mitigate risk and support the prevention and control of HPAI. Government livestock and NGO staff were trained in the new strategies and active surveillance for HPAI in the border districts was implemented.

Poultry Raising Workshop in Rural Communities

In January 2005, Dr Robyn Alders shared experiences of poultry raising in rural communities with poultry group members from the JICA-funded livestock project in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

One of the components of the livestock project was the promotion of existing village chickens for rural household security and low levels of income generation. She visited communities in Mphanama, Strydkraal and Manganeng districts and facilitated a workshop to share poultry raising experiences from Mozambique, including Newcastle disease control activities.

Level 8, 240 Queen St
Australian landline: 07 3025 8566
Brisbane, Queensland, 4000.
Email: kyeema@kyeemafoundation.org
Australian Business Number:
84107210015