Maryam Muhammad, the director general/chief executive officer of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom has revealed that three states including Plateau, Bauchi and Kano have received 7,778,078 doses of vaccines under the Livestock Disease Surveillance Knowledge Integration.
The LIDISKI Project started in 2020, is a European Union £2.5 (EU) funded project driven by the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), with support from the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the Italian Health Authority and Research Organization for Animal Health and Food Safety of Venezie (IZSVe), and Ikore, an international development organization based in Nigeria.
The project aims to integrate knowledge collected from actors in the animal health sector to provide tools and know-how to implement sustainable surveillance and control strategies against two livestock diseases: Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in sheep and goats and Newcastle Disease (ND) in poultry.
Speaking in her welcome remarks at the LIDISKI Closing Meeting held in Abuja today, Thursday, November 14, 2024, Maryam Muhammed said “One of the most tangible outcomes of the LIDISKI project launched in 2019 has been its positive effect on smallholder farmers.
“Throughout the project,3,942,510.00 PPR vaccine doses and 7,778,078 ND vaccine doses were distributed to mostly rural communities in Plateau, Bauchi and Kano states, a direct impact of which was the reduction in the spread of disease and improvement of animal health within the communities.
She said the project has strengthened capacity through the training of veterinary staff, specifically (3) three MSc, and (5) five PhD students who have been trained through the support of the project with their academic work being a direct output from research activities from the LIDISKI project.
138 CAHWs and 34 field veterinarians also received specialized training targeting the surveillance of PPR and ND through the collection and analysis of data, which has served as vital information on the diseases within the three states and provided an outlook for developing disease control strategies.
Surveillance activities on PPR and ND within the three states also showed that over 1,800 reports of PPR suspicion in small ruminants and 861 reports on ND suspicion in poultry were reported by CAHWs. The CAHWs also provided support to 11,000 poultry and small ruminant holder farmers, who now have better access to animal healthcare support and services.
She further informed that Progress was also made in targeting behavioural change by reaching over 500 villages and 502,000 smallholder farmers across the three states with educative information campaigns on disease prevention, vaccination schedules and early disease detection. 15 vaccination campaigns were carried out aimed at educating farmers on the importance of animal health which has a direct impact on their livelihoods.
With the global drive towards climate-smart sustainable energy solutions, through the support of the LIDISKI project, NVRI was able to install several solar-powered systems for cold chain maintenance and storage of vaccine seeds at the Institute’s headquarters along with other Outstation Laboratories significantly reducing the cost on energy while improving access to vaccines for smallholder farmers by bridging the last mile for vaccine access and delivery.
Presenting a summary of the project, Arnold Battaille, LIDISKI, project coordinator said the project worked on improving access to vaccines, with over 2.25 million vaccines for PPR and ND reaching remote rural areas, ensuring that cold chain standards were maintained, notably through the installation of solar panels at NVRI headquarters and 5 outposts.
He added that “as part of its long-term legacy, LIDISKI has also developed critical tools and resources for ongoing disease management. A total of 43 new tools were produced during the project, including protocols, information system to support disease management, risk maps, and mobile-based survey protocols, which will continue to be used by animal health actors in the years to come”.
In his recommendations broken into three axes, Arnold called for Enhancing Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) integration into the animal health information system for livestock diseases, Moving towards evidence-based strategies for prevention and control of livestock diseases, with a focus on PPR and ND, as well as Improving efficiency of vaccination, with a focus on PPR and ND.
In his remarks, the minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, represented by Aminu Oluwafisayo, special assistant to the minister to the minister of state, noted, that the drivers of the project had not only strengthened animal health systems but are also key to supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda by ensuring the nation’s agricultural systems are resilient, productive, and capable of meeting the nutritional needs of our growing population”
“Together, we have deepened our understanding of PPR and ND and developed effective strategies for their control and prevention.
“Of emphasis are developing guidelines and protocols for disease control and management, enhancement of disease detection and reporting capabilities of field surveillance officers, particularly in Kano, Plateau and Bauchi States; and capacity building for veterinary services delivery and livestock stakeholder, amongst others. These efforts directly contribute to the President’s vision of building a food-secure nation, where agriculture serves as a pillar of economic stability and the foundation for improved nutrition and health for all Nigerians,” he added.
The minister added that while the project marked an important milestone the path ahead calls for continued collaboration, innovation, and sustained efforts to support food security, enhance livestock health, and create sustainable agricultural practices that benefit all Nigerians.
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