Africa’s expanding population necessitates economic protein sources high in essential elements. Poultry production is vital to supplying this demand, yet poultry diseases continually threaten productivity and industry growth.
Vaccination is an effective defense against many diseases, although maintaining cold storage for vaccines can be difficult in Africa’s high temperatures.
This, combined with restricted access to disease information, puts small-scale poultry breeders’ livelihoods in danger.
In 2021, Ceva Santé Animale collaborated with GALVmed and secured funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to establish the PREVENT (Promoting and Enabling Vaccination Efficiently, Now and Tomorrow) initiative.
This effort aims to transform chicken production in Africa by using hatchery immunizations for day-old chicks (DoCs) in mid-sized hatcheries across the continent.
Empowering Small Scale Producers
Prevent set an ambitious target of distributing over 50 million hatchery-vaccinated DoCs annually via 36 medium-sized hatcheries in eight African countries. This plan was intended to benefit a startling 150,000 chicken breeders.
Surpassing expectations
Prevent has exceeded expectations while being only three years old and with more than a year to go. Vaccinations are now available to DoCs at 31 hatcheries across 11 countries, benefiting over 100,000 chicken farmers.
Enhanced Immunity, Reduced Mortality
Poultry are vulnerable to a variety of infectious diseases, which can have major effects on their health and growth. It is vital to immunize chicks with several vaccines the day they hatch.
PREVENT now offers small-scale farmers a wider range of vaccinations, with an average of three doses for each vaccinated day-old chick (VOC). This not only increases the amount of birds produced but also raises their overall quality.
The campaign successfully vaccinated approximately 98 million DoCs, exceeding the initial target of 56 million. Notably, most hatcheries moved quickly to full vaccination, with 91% of generated DoCs currently vaccinated.
Additionally, twenty vaccinations have already been registered in various West African countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Rwanda, offering hatcheries with a varied choice of possibilities.
Supporting Farmers Beyond Vaccination
Prevent acknowledges that immunization is not sufficient. The initiative comprises training programs for over 200 Field Technicians in animal health, market development, biosecurity, and farm management. These professionals serve as liaisons between hatcheries and producers, providing valuable guidance and technical assistance.
Enhancing Poultry Disease Data
The SAFER project, which is part of PREVENT, is critical for gathering crucial information about the spread of poultry viruses. This information is useful in measuring vaccination efficacy and alerting policymakers, hatcheries, and poultry farmers, resulting in more effective disease management measures.
Empowering Women in Poultry Farming.
Prevent highlights the important role that women play in poultry farming. To further empower them, the project evaluates the gender landscape. These analyses offer light on gender dynamics in the poultry sector, providing useful insights for future initiatives targeted at making the industry more equitable and inclusive.
Creating Long-term Market Change
Prevent has undoubtedly altered the market. More and more farmers recognize the advantages of utilizing vaccinated DoC.
Ceva continues to actively raise awareness among farmers, emphasizing the multiple benefits of utilizing vaccinated DoCs, including improved poultry health, decreased labor requirements, improved bird performance, and, ultimately, higher earnings.
Prevent empowers small-scale poultry producers throughout Africa by transforming poultry production with hatchery immunizations. This effort not only protects flocks and livelihoods, but also contributes to the continent’s food security and sustainability.
