GRF 2nd One Health Summit 2013: Presentation by Robyn G. Alders, University of Sydney

1. Using a One Health approach to promote
food and nutrition security in Tanzania
and Zambia
Alders Robyn1, Aongola Agnes2, Bagnol Brigitte3,4, Julia de Bruyn1, Kimboka
Sabas5, Kock Richard6, Li Mu1, Maulaga Wende7, McConchie Robyn1, Mor
Siobhan1, Msami Halifa7, Mulenga Francis8, Mwala Mick9, Mwale Shadreck8,
Rushton Jonathan6, Simpson Judy1, Victor Rose5, Yongolo Charles10 and Young
Mary3
1University
of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Email: robyn.alders@sydney.edu.au
of Health, Lusaka, Zambia; 3Kyeema Foundation, Brisbane, Australia; 4University
of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 5Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; 6Royal Veterinary College, London, UK; 7Tanzania Veterinary
Laboratory Agency, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; 8Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Lusaka,
Zambia; 9University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; 10Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and
Cooperatives, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
2Ministry

2. Acknowledgements
• Australian Centre for
International Agricultural
Research (ACIAR)
• Australian International Food
Security Research Centre (AIFSC)
• Project partners in Tanzania,
Zambia, UK and Australia
• University of Sydney Charles
Perkins Centre Food and
Nutrition Security Project Node
• Farmers, extension workers and
researchers with whom we have
collaborated over the years
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3. Agreeing on definitions (I)
One Health
The collaborative effort of multiple disciplines
— working locally, nationally, and globally —
to attain optimal health for people, animals
and the environment (AVMA 2008).

4. Agreeing on definitions (II)
Food security
Exists when populations have access on an
ongoing basis to sufficient, safe and nutritious
food to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO
2009).

5. The issues (I)
• Recent reviews have shown little impact of agricultural
interventions on childhood nutrition (Masset et al. 2012)
• Stunting in children remains high in many countries despite
increases in agricultural production
• Stunting affects health, physical and cognitive development
capacity in children as well as productivity in adulthood
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6. The issues (II)
- Stunting in Tanzania in children <5 years
42%
- Stunting in Zambia in children <5 years
45%
Going forward
→
Food and nutrition security
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7. Distribution of stunting in Zambia
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8. The One Health paradigm to the rescue
• One Health is an interdisciplinary strategy to address
health and food security from an integrated perspective
rather than a discipline-based fragmented perspective
….
• Is not a discipline, it’s an approach
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9. One Health competencies
Support the development of
skills for efficient and effective
collaboration among
disciplines for solving shared
health challenges including
food and nutrition security.
Such skills include:
• sharing of information,
knowledge and data
• strengthening the
relationships and
interdependencies.
Human
Health
Other healthrelated
disciplines
Social
Sciences
Animal
Health
Ecosystem
Health
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10. Strengthening food and nutrition security through family
poultry and crop integration in Tanzania and Zambia
Research aim
To reduce childhood stunting by
analysing and testing
opportunities to enhance the
key role that women play
in improving poultry and crop
integration and efficiency to
strengthen household nutrition.

11. Tanzania
Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency
Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Dar es Salaam University
Muhumbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Zambia
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Ministry of Health (Public Health)
National Commission for Food and
Nutrition
University of Zambia
Our Project Team
International
Royal Veterinary College, London
One Health Economist
Veterinary Ecologist
Kyeema Foundation
Social Anthropologist
Veterinary Laboratory and Cold Chain
Specialist
Australia
USyd School of Public Health
Nutritional Epidemiologist
Biostatistician
USyd Faculty of Agriculture and Environment
Post Harvest Specialist
USyd Faculty of Veterinary Science
Vet Public Health Epidemiologist
Village Poultry Health and Production Specialist
Charles Perkins Centre
Food and Nutrition
Project Node
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12. Why village poultry?
In mixed farming systems in Southern
Africa:
• very few households own cattle
(~10-20%)
• some own small ruminants
(~30-40%), but
• most own village poultry
(70-80%)
Credit: Kyeema/Alders

13. Eggceptional value!
• One egg contains:
- 315 kilojoules of energy
- high quality protein – rich
in essential amino acids
- Vitamins including
Vit. A, B12, K &
choline
- minerals
• Sterile inside (usually)
• Easy to store
• Easy & quick to cook
Credit: FAO/Alders

14. Sorghum
and
millet
Credit: Kyeema/Bagnol

15. Gender
Research indicates
that resources under
the control of women
are more likely to be
used to support the
education and
nutrition of children.

16. Project objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
To assess the existing family poultrycrop systems and poultry value
chains.
To test appropriate interventions for
improving the integration and
efficiency of family poultry/crop
systems and poultry value chains.
To assess the role of women and
impact of improved family poultrycrop systems interventions on
childhood stunting.
To support capacity building of and
catalyse strategic long-term
partnerships between key
institutions and individuals
associated with family poultry, food
security, and sustainable agriculture.
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17. Key lessons learnt to date
• Human nutritional data - frequently recorded
as unchanging throughout the year, i.e. does
not take seasonal variation into consideration
• Human nutritional recommendations frequently based on western models and not
food (domestic and wild) readily available in
rural areas of Tanzania and Zambia
• Fragmentation - agriculture, veterinary and
public health units work independently

18. Major challenges
• How to achieve nutrition-sensitive agriculture
in a sustainable manner to meet a going
human population?
• How to achieve agro-ecology-sensitive human
nutrition?
• How to encourage food value chains to
support good nutrition?

19. A reality check …
• Nutritional information
for breastfeeding
women
• Project environment
where breastfeeding
women live
The One Health paradigm can help to connect theory with practice to
deliver beneficial change to food and nutrition security

20. References
AVMA. 2008. One Health Initiative Task Force. "One Health: A New Professional
Imperative". The American Veterinary Medical Association. July 15, 2008.
https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reports/Documents/onehealth_final.pdf
FAO. 2009. The State of Food Insecurity in the World: Economic crises – impacts and lessons
learned. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Rome.
Girard A, Self J, McAuliffe C, Oludea O. 2012. The Effects of Household Food Production
Strategies on the Health and Nutrition Outcomes of Women and Young Children: A
Systematic Review. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 26 (Suppl. 1), 205–222.
Hawkes, C., Turner, R. and Waage, J. 2012. Current and planned research on agriculture for
improved nutrition: a mapping and a gap analysis. A report to the Department for
International Development, UK.
Masset E, Lawrence Haddad L, Cornelius A, Isaza-Castro, J. 2012. Effectiveness of
agricultural interventions that aim to improve nutritional status of children: systematic
review. The British Medical Journal 344:d8222.
National Bureau of Statistics . 2011. Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2010. Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania: NBS and ICF Macro.
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21. Thank you for your attention.
Questions?
Comments?
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