A scheme to improve livestock health and productivity in Africa has received a US$15.3 million boost.

The grant, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will help animal healthcare company Zoetis expand its African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (ALPHA) initiative to include aquaculture in addition to cattle, poultry and swine.

The project already operates in Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania and the grant will enable it to extend to Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire and five other markets.

‘Access to medicines and technology will help farmers raise healthier animals, improve productivity and secure more sustainable revenue, which is critical to the economic development and well-being of the region and its population,’ says Zoetis CEO Kristin Peck.

According to African Business Communities, the new funding will speed up access to veterinary products, services and diagnostic tools to increase productivity of smallholder farms, with a focus on supporting women farmers.

7 March 2023
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