MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Gallus
Australia will provide almost $6 million to help stamp out poultry disease in
Southern Africa, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Mrs Chris Gallus, announced today.
A three-year program, starting July 1, to control Newcastle Disease in
village poultry in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania will cost $5.7 million.
Mrs Gallus said village poultry was raised by many rural and urban families
in Southern Africa-but unvaccinated chickens were susceptible to unpredictable
and devastating outbreaks of Newcastle Disease.
Currently, commercial vaccines are vulnerable to heat damage. The new program
will provide thermo-stable vaccines.
Farmers will also get training in vaccination techniques.
Mrs Gallus said the project would build on the work of the Australian Centre
for International Agricultural Research in Mozambique, which developed a
low-cost, thermo-stable vaccine.
''By supporting the development of an effective and sustainable disease
control program, Australia is playing a significant role in reducing poverty
through increased food security,' she said.
'Poultry meat and eggs provide an important source of protein and income,
especially for women and children.'
Australia has provided an estimated $76 million in development assistance to
Africa over the past financial year.
Mrs Gallus will fly to Botswana this week to represent Australia at the
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) conference-the first involving the
new line-up agreed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in March.
Contact:
Craig Bildstien (Office of the Parliamentary Secretary) 02 6277 4840/ 0407
604 437
Jo Elsom (AusAID) 02 6206 4960 / 0412 804 489