A New Approach to Nutrition Programming in Northern Ghana.

A variety of potato was recently introduced to communities in Northern Ghana through a USAID project to counter Vitamin A deficiency — a condition that compromises the immune system and can lead to blindness. Last year, 439 women in 17 districts learned how to cultivate orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for the first time. Most people living in the northern region of Ghana had never seen an orange-fleshed sweet potato. Now, this brightly colored vegetable may be on its way to becoming the region’s most popular crop.The villagers lovingly call the new crop “Alafie Wuljo,” which means “healthy potato” in the local language of Dagbani. At one community’s first harvest celebration, the head of the project Philippe LeMay recalls how government officials and community leaders came to learn how to use the new crop in the kitchen. There were several cooking demonstrations, but the sweet potato fries were a hit among schoolchildren. “Now everyone wants to grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes,” said LeMay. Encouraging farmers to plant nutritious crops is just one of several strategies employed by this project to address malnutrition in northern Ghana. Besides agriculture, we are also working on improving livelihoods; governance; nutrition; and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). These sectors are interrelated and help to achieve common goals. The project introduces new and more nutritious crops to farmers and helps them boost yields through improved farming techniques. It also links farmers to markets, helps community members create village savings and loans associations, works to improve water and sanitation infrastructure, and promotes better hygiene. Ghana is one of the first countries to put USAID’s Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy into action. The fresh approach, which will guide our work through 2025, cuts across several development areas, resulting in programs that are more cost-effective and deliver greater impact around the world. story from feed the future/sweet potato/Ghana

BIOSECURITY PROTOCOLS ON A PIG FARM.

 BIOSECURITY  ON THE PIG FARM


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 Bio security both internal and external ensures health of pigs on the farm.The importance of biosecurity has been stressed and It is important to discern between external and internal bio security. 

External biosecurity deals with the strategy of keeping infectious diseases away from farms.

Internal biosecurity, however, revolves around the question how to prevent the spread of contagious diseases within the farm. Is this from pen to pen, from unit to unit or from house to house?

Whichever strategy is chosen, cleaning and disinfection procedures play a major role in internal biosecurity and more particularly in the prevention of disease propagation from one group of animals to the next.


BIOSECURITY ON THE PIG FARM.
 Cleaning  and disinfection procedures are applied by pig farmers all over the world, in both developed and developing countries.  However, they are based on historically grown routines, shaped over years rather than being based on well-considered protocols.

 Frequently, practices like these have led to sub-optimal technical results. Creating doubts as to whether the money spent on these protocols contribute to the farm's zootechnical and financial health status.

 Indeed, several crises in the industry have often led to cost-cutting measures related to these, whereas a well-designed plan for smart and consistent biosecurity, executed flawlessly, is nevertheless a cornerstone of good biosecurity practices.

 Smartphone app assisting pig farmers :Cid Lines's new tablet and smartphone app is a  prevention Cost Calculator developed to assist pork producers on how to make the right management decisions for their sanitation protocols.

 The app serves as a calculation tool using   the  farm data it will give a perfect insight into the volume of detergent and disinfectant needed  to create  a personalized hygiene protocol.

WEEKEND MAKEOVER FOR YOUR DOG.

Its the weekend and a great time for a makeover for your pets; wash,shampoo and groom them. Check out these funny grooming options ; photo credit= internet. https://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com/2019/01/veterinary-medicine-emerging-viruses-in.html https://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com/2015/12/egg-powder.html

ON-FARM BIO SECURITY MEASURES FOR HORSES.

Bio security very vital to health management of horses, simple but effective measures to prevent diseases. Simple hand washing and disinfecting hands,clothing,tools go a long way to prevent diseases.The use of footdips,tyre dips,car sprays are also important bio security practices.