Global animal health company renews co-funding with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the health and productivity of dairy, beef, poultry and fish producers in seven new countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Zoetis is pleased to receive a $15.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop and integrate innovative solutions to advance veterinary care and diagnostic services that will ultimately improve livestock health and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. The grant will help Zoetis to expand its original African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative to include aquaculture in addition to cattle, poultry, and swine in an additional seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Part of the company’s Driven to Care long-term sustainability commitments, the new five-year African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement Plus (A.L.P.H.A. Plus) initiative aims to improve veterinary health and food security in some of the most rapidly developing regions in the world.
This new funding, part of the ‘Innovative Animal Health Models for Small-Scale Producers’ grant, will accelerate access to veterinary products, services and diagnostic tools to increase the productivity of smallholder farms, with a particular focus on supporting female farmers.
“We are grateful for the grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as we live our purpose to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals in Sub-Saharan Africa, expanding our work to drive greater impact. The combination of Zoetis’ leadership in animal health and experience in forging broad collaborations in emerging markets will allow us to accelerate the advancement of animal health in the region,” said Kristin Peck, Chief Executive Officer of Zoetis. “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.”
A.L.P.H.A. Plus will focus on dairy and beef production, poultry and aquaculture in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and now extend to include Kenya, Ivory Coast and five additional markets from East, West and Central Sub-Saharan Africa.
Drawing on the success of the company’s first A.L.P.H.A. initiative, which began in 2017 in Uganda, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, and later expanded into Tanzania, the new grant will seek to further animal health and farmers’ livelihoods through enhanced training – with a target to train 100,000 stakeholders by 2025. There will be a strong focus on gender diversity, including women-led, female-only training courses optimally designed to maximize attendance. The grant will also enable Zoetis to further develop distribution and training models for ‘last mile’ networks, build disease diagnostic services through laboratory networks in cooperation with public and private local partners, as well as develop outcomes research and digital services.
Expanding and improving access to veterinary medicines, vaccines and services are essential for animal health, nutrition, and an inclusive, sustainable economy – and therefore a key pillar of the initiative.
Exploring opportunities to scale up fish production in the region
Through the initiative, Zoetis will explore opportunities to accelerate and increase fish production in Lake Victoria and Lake Volta, using expertise through our aquatic health business PHARMAQ to help understand the veterinary and productivity requirements of small-scale fish producers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With tilapiabeing one of the fastest growing animal protein sources in emerging markets, facilitating its geographic expansion and scalability can have a significant, positive impact on sustainable nutrition and economic growth in the region.
As one of the most rapidly developing regions in the world, Sub-Saharan Africa is also home to some of the largest livestock populations in the world, and the highest density of impoverished livestock farmers.1 Livestock are an essential asset to rural communities, and consequently animal health is critical to achieving food security in areas of exceptionally high animal and human disease incidence.
Through A.L.P.H.A. Plus, co-funded by Zoetis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Zoetis will collaborate with governmental authorities, local veterinary associations, national and international NGOs, farmer associations and the public and private sector to maximize its positive impact in the region.
Over the course of the five-year program, Zoetis will build on the progress and key learnings from the initial A.L.P.H.A. initiative, to deliver a long-term sustainable business model and animal health infrastructure for livestock farmers in the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region.
In October, Zoetis was named to Fortune’s 2022 Change the World list, a global ranking of the top 50 companies making a positive social impact through business practices, based on the company’s African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative. In June, Zoetis shared its 2021 Sustainability Progress Update. The company has committed to sharing updates on its sustainability activities, including progress against its Driven to Care goals, and reporting annually.
About A.L.P.H.A. Plus
Part of Zoetis’ Driven to Care long-term sustainability commitments, the new five-year African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement Plus (A.L.P.H.A. Plus) initiative aims to improve veterinary health and food security focusing on cattle production, poultry and aquaculture in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and extend to seven additional markets including Kenya, Ivory Coast and other markets in West, East and Central Sub-Saharan Africa.
About Zoetis
As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.1 billion in 2022 with approximately 13,800 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of Zoetis with respect to: sustainability commitments, goals and aspirations, the A.L.P.H.A. and A.L.P.H.A. Plus initiatives, and other future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if management's underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Zoetis expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A further list and description of risks, uncertainties and other matters can be found in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections thereof captioned “Forward-Looking Statements and Factors That May Affect Future Results” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in our Current Reports on Form 8-K. These filings and subsequent filings are available online at www.sec.gov , www.zoetis.com , or on request from Zoetis.
1. ILRI, 2012. Mapping of poverty and likely zoonoses hotspots. [Online] Available at: https://www.ilri.org/node/1244 [Accessed 26th April 2017]
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