USAID has launched Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International and IPC consortium to combat threat of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance to human and animal health
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has tapped a consortium led by Cargill including Ausvet, Heifer International, and the International Poultry Council (IPC) to improve livestock management.
The five-year, US$33mn Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM) consortium harnesses innovation to sustainably improve animal health, strengthen animal agriculture production systems in Asia and Africa and enhance global health security.
As a farm-based initiative, TRANSFORM will prioritise efforts to significantly decrease the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonoses, diseases spread from animals to humans such as food borne pathogens, anthrax and Avian and swine influenza. Smallholder farmers around the world are particularly vulnerable to transboundary animal diseases, with livestock representing their main source of food and income, and access to veterinary services often limited.
Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International and the IPC will increase the capacity of government, agri-businesses, and farmers to prevent and, if needed, identify and quickly respond to these threats to human health. TRANSFORM aims to bring about long-lasting change within the livestock sector in Africa and Asia.
Cargill will conduct nutrition and immune health trials on dairy, poultry, shrimp and swine operations in four countries throughout Asia and Africa to better understand and quantify the role holistic animal nutrition can play in reducing the threats of zoonotic diseases to human health.
Ausvet will expand its health information system to serve farms of all sizes in Indonesia and Vietnam. The group will collect real-time data and insights on disease occurrence, vaccination programs, and antibiotic usage so farmers, governments and
Increased profitability for farmers will be a key to TRANSFORM’s long-term impact.
Heifer International will work with smallholder farmers in India and Kenya to improve bio security and animal management and health, with the added benefit of increasing farmer incomes.
IPC will lead the development and adoption of industry-wide principles, policies and standards around antimicrobial stewardship within the poultry industry.
