After four years of co-funding from Zoetis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, smallholder farms improve productivity thanks to new diagnostics, vaccines and treatments

Livestock health and farmers’ livelihoods have been dramatically improved in Sub-Saharan Africa, following the administration of 1.7 billion doses of vaccines and medicines and over 650,000 diagnostic tests through Zoetis’ African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (A.L.P.H.A.) initiative, now in its fourth year.

The initiative -- founded in 2017 with a $14 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – is dedicated to improving animal health and livelihoods in the region by increasing access to quality veterinary vaccines, medicines and services, diagnostic laboratory networks, and animal health training.

In four years of activity, the company has made significant progress in establishing the infrastructure and training to improve the state of animal health and productivity. Ten new fully operational serology laboratories have been established across Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda; and 13,234 farmers, veterinarians and para-veterinarians have been trained -- with an estimated extended reach of 657,800 people through train-the-trainer programs.

The A.L.P.H.A. initiative is helping Zoetis meet its aspirations to grow veterinary care in emerging markets under its new Driven to Care long-term sustainability goals, which build on the company’s purpose to nurture the world by advancing care for animals.

Glenn David, Executive Vice President and Group President at Zoetis, said: “Studies show that when households in a developing region acquire livestock, they report higher income, improved nutrition and better access to financial resources. Animal health is extremely important in contributing to sustainable development goals and economic opportunities in Africa.”

“Over the last four years, we’ve demonstrated that greater access to medicines and technology can help farmers raise healthier animals and secure a more productive and sustainable food supply and income. The progress being made is critical to the economic development of the region and well-being of its people, especially as they face COVID-19 and worsening famine rates,” said David.

Through dedicated regulatory activities, Zoetis submitted 85 veterinary products for registration approval. The company also delivered 35 products – primarily for preventative care -- to the markets, in addition to the Zoetis diagnostics portfolio in A.L.P.H.A. countries, which are all crucial components of sustainable development in the animal health sector. Four years ago, there were just four Zoetis products available to farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa to address the health of their herds.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 600 million of the world’s poorest households keep livestock as an essential source of income. Approximately 70% of the world’s “extreme poor” depend upon livestock, making animal health solutions necessary for sustainable livestock production¹. Reducing mortality and morbidity through better prevention, detection and treatment of animal disease can significantly shrink the footprint of farming in all regions and increase productivity. This means strengthening diseases surveillance, vaccinating animals, and increasing the use of diagnostics and training in responsible antibiotic use for bacterial treatments.

Unique solutions improve animal health and sustainability through cold-chain management

“The A.L.P.H.A. initiative has helped vets enhance their technical knowledge, while also helping farmers improve productivity and make the sector more sustainable. Farmers in the region now embrace better farming practices, improving their profitability, income and quality of life,” said Dr. Ibrahim Ado Shuhu, President of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA).

One of the key learnings of A.L.P.H.A. in the last four years is the importance of cold chain management for vaccines until the “last mile.” Given most vaccines can get spoiled in cases of temperature fluctuation resulting from frequent power supply issues, A.L.P.H.A. supplied specialized refrigerators to 21 partners through five-year sponsorship agreements (to safeguard equipment use). These Lite Vaccine Refrigerators with remote temperature monitoring devices can work without a power supply, which ensures vaccines are kept within their acceptable temperature ranges independently from power fluctuations.

Dr. Funmi Ojelade, Lab Veterinarian, Chi Lab, Ibadan Nigeria said: “The greatest impact of the A.L.P.H.A. initiative is that it’s reaching out to grassroots poultry farmers providing innovative solutions, education and diagnostics to help them reduce costs and losses on their farms. Animals are healthier, more productive and enable farmers to improve their livelihoods.”

Working towards UN Food Systems Solutions

Promoting a rapid uptake of existing, scalable best practices and tools in animal health and husbandry is one of the solutions promoted by UNFAO that could reduce the emissions footprint of livestock farming by 30%. The impact of A.L.P.H.A., and more generally of community development through livestock productivity, supports better livestock health for more nature-positive, protein production that measurably improves natural resource use efficiency, limits the need for new farmland, and supports a growing population.

“Unique in our approach is the sustainability angle, which is essential to encourage a mindset shift in the livestock sector towards entrepreneurialism and ownership. Empowerment of the farming and veterinary sectors is critical to enable Sub-Saharan Africa to meet the rising productivity needs of the region in a sustainable manner,” said Dr. Gabriel Varga, Regional Director Sub-Saharan Africa at Zoetis and lead of the A.L.P.H.A. initiative.

“Project Shine” Case Study: Advancing Livestock Health Contributes to Stability and Peace to the Fulani Nomadic Tribe in Northern Nigeria

The settlement of the pastoral Fulani nomadic tribe in local communities in Northern Nigeria has been a source of tensions in an unstable region for decades. A.L.P.H.A. partnered with the University of Jos, Nigeria, to establish positive relationships based on improvement of animal health, access to diagnostics and health solutions via mobile vet clinics, and trainings to improve farmers’ livelihoods and income to local communities.

With 15 farms involved in the training, increased surveillance of over 5,000 head of cattle and 30 animal health workers trained, positive impacts have been seen on productivity and income of locally established farms. Donation of goats to families – especially single mothers and widows – was a first step in establishing a regular source of nutrition and income to the poorest population in the region.

“A.L.P.H.A. has brought multiple benefits to the Fulani community, to the veterinary community and to the nation as a whole in facilitating access to animal medicines, vaccines and diagnostic services,” said Dr. Dare Omoniwa, Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Jos, Nigeria. “Medicalisation of animals had a very big impact. It has been used to good effect to build unity, trust and peace in the region.”

These important learnings highlighting the role that animal health plays for the development of a more sustainable livestock production are critical to carry into the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit and follow-on COP-26.

About A.L.P.H.A.

The A.L.P.H.A. initiative, co-funded with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2017 was first launched in Uganda and Nigeria, followed by Ethiopia in 2018 and Tanzania in 2019. This initiative is aiming at advancing livestock health and productivity in Sub Saharan Africa through increased availability of veterinary medicines and services, and the implementation of disease diagnostics infrastructure. To ensure long term sustainability of this initiative, Zoetis is developing veterinary laboratory networks and outreach services into local economic hubs in partnership with Veterinary associations, local food chain players and governmental institutions.

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 nearly 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide - from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. In 2020, Zoetis generated revenue of $6.7 billion with ~11,300 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.

¹ FAO report 2019

DISCLOSURE NOTICES

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. initiative, 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, 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.

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