The Avian Flu School (AFS) has a synergetic relationship with two other GL-CRSP projects - the HALI project in Tanzania and the ENAM project in Ghana. The AFS village-level Newcastle Disease and Avian Flu Control Project, a sub-project under the larger AFS project, has benefited from the HALI project by teaming up with HALI field staff to conduct village-level research in villages involved in both the HALI and AFS research projects. Since the HALI project had already established relationships with the communities, the AFS fieldwork was logistically easy to get underway. HALI collaborators, Dr. Deana Clifford, Mike Clifford and Dr Pete Coppolillo, also assisted with facilitating a few of the AFS workshops in Tanzania. These collaborations with HALI reduced costs for the AFS project by eliminating the need to hire additional facilitators from outside and by reducing travel and logistical costs.

The ENAM Research Project in Ghana has been working with rural communities in the Techiman and Navrongo areas – areas that have great potential in improving the production of local chicken and guinea fowl. The poultry health and Newcastle disease vaccination program, developed by AFS for villages in Tanzania, was easily adapted for training women in the ENAM communities. In July, 2007, AFS conducted a Training of Trainers (TOT) program for ENAM staff and partners, veterinary, agricultural and health ministry staff of Ghana, and professors of the University of Ghana. In January, 2008, trainees of the July TOT workshop put their training to use by conducting a Train-the-Trainer poultry health workshop for the ENAM field staff and local veterinary government staff. Thereafter, field staff from the Techiman and Navrongo communities conducted trainings for people in the ENAM and neighboring communities. The ENAM community trainings covered chicken and guinea fowl production, health and vaccination. The information shared with the women in these communities can be put to immediate use to increase the production of village chicken and guinea fowl. Information learned from the ENAM community members will also help the AFS team further develop field training materials.

For more on the AFS, ENAM, and HALI Projects please visit:
http://glcrsp.ucdavis.edu/projects