program for enhancing the health and productivity of livestock
About PEHPL
The Program for Enhancing the Health and Productivity of Livestock (PEHPL) is an initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha, Tanzania in collaboration with Penn State & Washington State Universities in the United States, and the University of Glasgow and Scotland’s Rural College in the United Kingdom.
Our Objectives
To develop a technical base for PhD research and training at NM-AIST that will allow the next generation of African scientists to deliver practical and effective interventions in animal health and production, and improvements in livestock management practices.
To enhance the livelihoods of smallholder livestock keepers in sub-Saharan Africa by implementing applied multidisciplinary projects in socio-economics and food security.
Who are those Involved
Scientists and students will work with livestock farmers in East Africa to enhance the nutrition and health of people through improving the health and productivity of their livestock. Professor Haydon added, “The programme focuses on enhancing the productivity and health of smallholder farmers’ livestock by reducing their exposure to disease and improving their nutrition, genetic potential, and market value, while safeguarding animal welfare, public health and the environment. The proposed programme will also strive to address gender gaps and inequalities by ensuring equal representation of women in the programme and recognizing their pivotal role in farming activities, with the need to increase their control over inputs as well outputs when it comes to decision making.”
Priorities
Among their research priorities is the improvement of health and productivity of livestock which is critical for the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. Tanzania hosts one of the largest livestock populations in Africa as well as a rich and diverse natural heritage, and world-renowned ecosystems, such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Maasai steppe. These sites are important environments for studying diseases that can spread between livestock, wildlife and people."
It comes at a good time when we have just launched four other grants through the RCUK/DfID Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems initiative, and a Royal Society-Leverhulme Africa Award related to livestock health and zoonotic disease, all in partnership with the Mandela Institute.”
Expected program outputs
By 2018, a total of 16 PhD graduates will be trained in multidisciplinary areas of animal health and livestock production targeting safeguarding of animal welfare, public health, and the environment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our aim is to enhance research capacity in livestock production and health at NM-AIST and Improved household food and nutrition security, income and social well-being of resource poor livestock farmers through adoption of better livestock management practices.