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 tilapia being 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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Media Contacts: Christina Lood
1-973-822-7249 christina.lood@zoetis.com
Anne-France Quentric +33 685539587
anne-france.quentric@zoetis.com
Investor Contact: Steve Frank
1-973-822-7141 (o) steve.frank@zoetis.com
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