Upscaling farmer-led targeted intervention for livestock health and poverty alleviation in Africa
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Parasites are a major cause of disease and production loss in grazing ruminants worldwide, and their control is increasingly challenged by climate change and drug resistance. In resource-poor marginal farming systems, where reliance on livestock for food and income is high, tools for effective parasite control are rarely available to farmers. Chemical inputs are often in limited supply and not optimally applied, and parasites slow growth, reduce milk yield and cause mortality.
This project builds on previous research conducted on targeting treatment within goat herds in Botswana, which showed that simple indices of parasite impact can be used effectively by farmers to target treatments and improve livestock health. Farmers using the system achieved similar improvements as for whole-herd treatment, while using less than a quarter of the treatments. At the same time, research has advanced the capability of computer models to predict infection risk as a function of climate and weather. Application of risk models could enable monitoring and targeted treatment to focus on the most dangerous times, potentially saving labour and reducing unexpected losses. These prediction models have helped farmers in the UK, but have not yet been delivered to farmers in Botswana. Very high mobile phone use in the region provides a potential route to deliver such tools, and to support farmers who are in remote locations and out of the reach of over-stretched animal health extension personnel.
This project will combine targeted treatment and risk prediction to produce an integrated parasite control system that works in the hands of remote marginal farmers in Botswana. Risk predictions will be generated from climate data using existing models, and communicated to farmers by mobile phone. Alerts will prompt trained farmers to check their animals and intervene as needed, feeding back information on animal health status and treatments applied, again by mobile phone. This information will, in turn, help to update risk profiles for a given area. Resources to support application of targeted treatment protocols will be produced and disseminated on a new mobile phone friendly website and in hard copy, including aide memoires and infographics to ensure access regardless of literacy or level of education. Running the system in the field will show that it works, and provide a blueprint and materials to upscale it across a wider area, with the potential for automation in a later translation phase.
The integrated system will be delivered with key partners in Botswana, who have helped to identify the need for this work, and will provide support to the field trials and then to embed the integrated system into existing support structures and training. Project outcomes will be summarised in a policy report and discussed with partners and potential users, to promote wider uptake. Application of improved parasite control in goats and sheep on smallholder farms has the potential to drive step changes in household nutrition and livelihoods across large areas of Africa. Outcomes will be communicated beyond Botswana through existing networks to fully realise these benefits.
This project builds on previous research conducted on targeting treatment within goat herds in Botswana, which showed that simple indices of parasite impact can be used effectively by farmers to target treatments and improve livestock health. Farmers using the system achieved similar improvements as for whole-herd treatment, while using less than a quarter of the treatments. At the same time, research has advanced the capability of computer models to predict infection risk as a function of climate and weather. Application of risk models could enable monitoring and targeted treatment to focus on the most dangerous times, potentially saving labour and reducing unexpected losses. These prediction models have helped farmers in the UK, but have not yet been delivered to farmers in Botswana. Very high mobile phone use in the region provides a potential route to deliver such tools, and to support farmers who are in remote locations and out of the reach of over-stretched animal health extension personnel.
This project will combine targeted treatment and risk prediction to produce an integrated parasite control system that works in the hands of remote marginal farmers in Botswana. Risk predictions will be generated from climate data using existing models, and communicated to farmers by mobile phone. Alerts will prompt trained farmers to check their animals and intervene as needed, feeding back information on animal health status and treatments applied, again by mobile phone. This information will, in turn, help to update risk profiles for a given area. Resources to support application of targeted treatment protocols will be produced and disseminated on a new mobile phone friendly website and in hard copy, including aide memoires and infographics to ensure access regardless of literacy or level of education. Running the system in the field will show that it works, and provide a blueprint and materials to upscale it across a wider area, with the potential for automation in a later translation phase.
The integrated system will be delivered with key partners in Botswana, who have helped to identify the need for this work, and will provide support to the field trials and then to embed the integrated system into existing support structures and training. Project outcomes will be summarised in a policy report and discussed with partners and potential users, to promote wider uptake. Application of improved parasite control in goats and sheep on smallholder farms has the potential to drive step changes in household nutrition and livelihoods across large areas of Africa. Outcomes will be communicated beyond Botswana through existing networks to fully realise these benefits.
Organisations
Publications
Khanyari M
(2021)
Predicting Parasite Dynamics in Mixed-Use Trans-Himalayan Pastures to Underpin Management of Cross-Transmission Between Livestock and Bharal.
in Frontiers in veterinary science
Wang T
(2018)
Microclimate has a greater influence than macroclimate on the availability of infective Haemonchus contortus larvae on herbage in a warmed temperate environment
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Description | A suite of training tools has been developed and is now being trialled on farms in Malawi and Botswana. Upscaling to other countries has begun through the website weathersmartwormcontrol.com and additional field activities through 2020. |
Exploitation Route | The tools are freely available and are being further developed, applied and shared in project 'Plant-based solutions to integrate livestock disease control, nutrition and environmental sustainability in Africa' supported by BBSRC award BB/S014748/1. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
URL | https://weathersmartwormcontrol.com/ |
Description | This is a translation award and training materials have been produced and disseminated, including in college training curricula. This process is ongoing past this grant duration through award BB/S014748/1. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | BUAN |
Organisation | Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources |
Country | Botswana |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Assistance with training curriculum and materials for animal health support officers. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to curriculum to project impact of translation activities. |
Impact | Training materials incorporated into college curriculum. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Fort Valley State University, Georgia, USA |
Organisation | Fort Valley State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Models of parasite transmission potential under climate change applied alongside agronomic models to support smart planting of bioactive crops. |
Collaborator Contribution | Added bioactive crop suitability modelling and led two successful grant applications to USDA NIFA programme with funded UK (QUB) collaboration. |
Impact | Grant applications above. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | MoA Botswana |
Organisation | Government in Botswana |
Country | Botswana |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Support for management of endemic disease through farmer-led systems and training. |
Collaborator Contribution | Channelling project outputs into staff training and facilitating recruitment of farmers and trainers into the translation activities. |
Impact | Contributions to training materials and recruitment of study participants. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | RRes |
Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Explained system for parasite management and potential for inclusion in existing nutrition and genetic research / translation projects in Africa. |
Collaborator Contribution | Adding thoughts on economic, social and nutritional evaluation of system impacts. |
Impact | Drafting of 2x funding bids for integrative research across the areas above. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | University of Pretoria |
Organisation | University of Pretoria |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Refined and applied methods devised by partner in resource-poor farm settings. |
Collaborator Contribution | Undertook trialling of methods and conversion to training materials used in the translation award. |
Impact | Engagement events under this project. Training of staff now working with farmers. Input into website design and training materials. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Gaborone animal disease workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Workshop held for farmers, advisors and government policymakers on animal disease, including elicitation of stakeholder priorities, and explanation of progress of our research on parasite epidemiology and management and the tools planned under the translation award, to facilitate co-design. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Lilongwe startup meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting / workshop held with researchers and NGO practitioners to describe our approaches to improved goat health through translation of the system developed in this project, and receive feedback on needs and applicability in Malawi alongside existing programmes, hence potential to expand beyond Botswana as specified I the proposal. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Recurring farm visits in Malawi for farmer and extension personnel training and support |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Participating farmers are visited every 2 weeks for data collection and reinforcement of training in animal health checks and targeted treatment. Teams involve postgraduate students. Includes workshops and additional training of animal health extension personnel, NGO farmer support networks, and on occasion visits with policy makers (government departments of agriculture, veterinary and extension services. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Recurring farmer training visits Botswana |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Repeated visits to farmers in Botswana every month to support ongoing data collection ad reinforce training. Teams include postgraduate students. Extends to demonstration and training of wider groups, through public meetings and farmer collectives, outside the core research areas in N and W Botswana. Accompanied on occasion by veterinary extension personnel, NGO staff involved in farmer extension, and policy makers from department of veterinary services. Includes training in parasitology and evaluation of anthelmintic drug efficacy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Weather Smart Worm Control Website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The engagement activity includes providing an online portal for farmers and veterinary extension officers to examine Haemonchus contortus transmission risk. This can be found at https://weathersmartwormcontrol.com/. There are resources to learn about the impacts of climate change on parasite transmission in addition to interactive maps showing effect of climate on the H.contortus transmission. There is also a training course with videos attached for each which section which are linked to the websites corresponding youtube account which can be found here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJABwI2bUnoWAlrnD8k3-4Q. The website will be currently being circulated between the stakeholders and an official release will take place in 2020. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
URL | https://weathersmartwormcontrol.com/ |