Mon, 01 May 2017 12:23:07 +0000 By SIMON MWANZA A GROUP of local and international players have launched a cost-effective and low-tech early warning system to mitigate the devastating impact of livestock diseases in Zambia. According to project coordinator Dr Danie Odendaal, the system, anchored on improving overall early warning and response capacity, has been pioneered by the University of Africa, Musika, Afrivet and Veterinary Network. “The linchpin of the system is the user-friendly step by step diagnosis manual that equips livestock farmers with the invaluable skill of early cattle disease detection using their eyes,” said Dr Odendaal. In an interview, Dr Odendaal said regardless of literacy levels, livestock farmers would be able to detect diseases such as Foot and Mouth as well as other tick and fly borne animal diseases using the system. The Zambian livestock sector is worth more than US$1.5 billion, accounting for nearly 35 percent of agriculture’s share of the national […]
Early warning system to fight livestock diseases launched
