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Project

Transforming the vaccine delivery system for chickens and goats in Ghana: what approaches and what benefits for women?
 

Ghana
Project ID
109064
Total Funding
CAD 2,532,300.00
IDRC Officer
Evelyn Baraké
Project Status
Active
Duration
36 months

Programs and partnerships

Lead institution(s)

Project leader:
Alessandra Galié
Kenya

Summary

In Ghana, 63% of extremely poor people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, with women representing most of this population.Read more

In Ghana, 63% of extremely poor people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, with women representing most of this population. Backyard poultry and goat production systems play an important role in the livelihoods of women farmers, but vaccines for diseases that are primary causes of death for chickens and goats, such as Newcastle disease, Peste des Petits Ruminants, and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, are often inaccessible for women. This is due to a number of barriers, including delivery systems that do not centre on women’s needs, preferences, and capabilities; mobility challenges for women livestock owners; and gender norms that affect women’s ownership and management of livestock.

Ghanaian women own fewer livestock, use less fertilizer, own less mechanical equipment, complete fewer years of education, and have lower school attendance rates than men. This project will test a gender-transformative approach to vaccine delivery systems that addresses these and other constraints to women’s access to vaccines. To improve the livelihoods of women livestock owners, their specific needs, priorities, and constraints to accessing and using vaccines will be identified and this evidence will be used to make recommendations on best approaches for increasing their access and use.

This project is supported by the Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund (LVIF), a partnership of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, and IDRC. LVIF represents a joint investment of CA$57 million over five years to support the development, production, and commercialization of innovative vaccines against priority livestock diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Research outputs

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Brief
Language:

English

Summary

In Ghana, chickens and goats are critical for households’ food and nutrition security. They are especially important for women livestock farmers, who can access them more easily that other assets like land. Preventable diseases in chickens and goats cause high mortality of the animals, negatively affecting women’s livelihoods. Although vaccines are available, women are limited from accessing them by cultural and traditional practices. They have low awareness about vaccines, find them too expensive, are unable to interact with male vets, and have poor access to the cold chain infrastructure. The Women Rear Project built evidence on what approaches lead to women’s inclusion in vaccine delivery and benefit them.

Author(s)
Loriba, Agnes
Training Materials
Language:

English

Summary

In Ghana, 3 million farmers depend on livestock farming for food and income. However, Newcastle disease, peste des petits ruminants and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, result in high mortality rates in goats and poultry, and reduced incomes for the women that depend on these small livestock. Whilst vaccines are available, uptake is affected by poor demand from farmers, cold chain constraints, and insufficient trained vets to administer vaccines. Delivery systems also do not account for women's needs. To increase vaccine uptake amongst women, the Women Rear project is working to overcome barriers faced by women livestock farmers and animal health service providers (AHSPs) - whilst also strengthening infrastructure for more equitable vaccine delivery.

Author(s)
LIVESTOCK VACCINE INNOVATION FUND (LVIF)
Matériels de formation
Language:

French

Summary
Author(s)
LE FONDS D’INNOVATION EN VACCINS POUR LE BÉTAIL (FIVB)
Training Materials
Language:

English

Summary

This learning guide examines several case studies related to women’s participation in raising livestock and the livestock vaccine delivery system in Ghana. Each case study includes background information, objectives, and steps to carry out the learning activity.

Author(s)
Loriba, Agnes
Report
Language:

English

Summary

The involvement of private entities in delivery of services by government has been welcomed in many countries, including Ghana, which has a unique example, the drone services in Ghana health services. Over the years, Ghana has held several engagements on public private partnerships (PPP) in veterinary domain but has not made concrete steps. This workshop offered the opportunity to make progress. The main objective of this activity was to get a final framework on the best public private partnership in line with WOAHs PPP concept to be implemented for Animal Health Delivery in Ghana.

Author(s)
Loriba, Agnes
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About the partnership

Partnership(s)

Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund

The Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund (LVIF) supports the development and production of innovative vaccines to improve livestock health and the livelihoods of farmers.