Implementing Agency:
Department For International Development (DFIDEA)

Managing Institute:
Department For International Development (DFIDEA)

Project Code: 031-500-027	Start Date: 01-Sep-89	End Date: 01-Mar-92
Commitment: £1,963,000	Status: Completed	Type of Funding: Bilateral - TC

Project Background:
The Government of Kenya is committed to feed its rapidly expanding population. One of the measures adopted to achieve this is the formation of the National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP) the objective of which is to increase agricultural production through improved research outputs.

The project is designed to support NARP in the specific area of research into helminth diseases adversely affecting animal production in Kenya. DFID has given support to animal health projects in Kenya for many years, and other products in the field of virology and protozoology are on-going.

Greater involvement in support of veterinary parasitology is thus a logical expansion of these inputs.

Helminth diseases of domestic livestock have been identified by the National Veterinary Research Centre (NVRC) as a major constraint to livestock production in Kenya. This group of diseases has therefore been targetted as a priority for research at NVRC under the NARP.

In order to conduct appropriate research on helminth diseases in Kenya, proposals have been formulated for collaborative research projects between the Helminthology Division of NVRC and two UK research groups: one based at the Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (CTVM) University of Edinburgh; the other based at Glasgow University.

Consultants have visited from the UK Universities and , in conjunction with Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and NVRC staff, have formulated project proposals for funding under NARP.

Project Objectives:
The objectives of the helminthology project are: To develop and improve the research capacity of the Helminthology Department, National Veterinary Research Centre (NVRC), Muguga and to train Kenyan scientists and technicians in appropriate research techniques and methodologies To investigate the nature of genetic resistance of the Red Masai Sheep to the stomach parasite , Haemonchus contortus in order to exploit this resistance for the control of the disease To improve diagnosis and treatment of the cystic stage of the human tapeworm , Taenia saginata in live cattle To investigate production of a vaccine to prevent cattle becoming infected with T.saginata . The project coordination covers two link projects carried out at Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine and Glasgow University Veterinary School.

Intended Outputs:
A fully functional Helminth laboratory.

More trained Kenyan staff able to develop and conduct research programme

Diagnostic and immunogenic reagents and test vaccines for bovine cysticarcoals.

Sheep are bred with resistance to haemonochosis and other nematodes.

Database on helminth disease incidence and joint socio-economic analysis of disease and treatment options.