Africa possesses extensive livestock and animal feed resources but accounts for a very small proportion of world trade in animal products. Disease status on the continent poses a key barrier for trade possibilities. Animal health standards imposed by importing countries are not met and African countries lack knowledge, skills and capacity to rectify the situation. This is particularly the case in areas characterised by large livestock populations and high levels of poverty. To address this issue, the MTADM project aims to strengthen the capacity of national veterinary services in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan. It will seek to control and manage transboundary and epidemic diseases more effectively in a regional concerted action and to promote safe trade in livestock and animal products according to international standards.

Specifically, a joint “Master’s Course in Transboundary Animal Disease Management” (MTADM) will build human resource capacity by initiating the training of an effective pool of professionals in cross-border animal disease control and management and by strengthening the regional network of veterinary faculties.

Creating a joint master’s degree

The Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia will establish a regional network with four other universities from East Africa: the University of Nairobi, Makerere University, University of Khartoum and Sudan University of Science and Technology. The interaction and exchange of best practices and expertise between these African universities and the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany will lead to the development of teaching materials and enhanced training for postgraduate students and young professionals in animal health management and livestock disease control.

Concretely, the project partners will create a joint Master’s degree in Transboundary Animal Disease Management (MTADM) between the respective veterinary faculties of Addis Ababa University and the Freie Universität Berlin with strong input and later endorsement by the other partner universities. Curricula development will be carried out through interactive workshops at the African partner universities. Stakeholders from trade organisations, private operators in agricultural services, manufacturing, processing and marketing will be involved in the drafting of the teaching materials.

Training highly qualified veterinarians

In the following phase of the project, the newly created Master’s degree will be implemented at Addis Ababa University, where African participants will be selected according to strict criteria. The degree will be taught as a cross-border programme between the partner universities in Africa followed by courses at the Freie Universität Berlin.

It will contain elements of ‘blended learning’ (traditional face-to-face teaching combined with distance education). A strong emphasis will be placed on region specific courses in epidemiology and statistics, animal disease and health information systems. The courses will actively involve regional and country veterinary services and institutions.

Also, the two-year Master’s programme will include a substantial field study and research phase to be carried out under the guidance of the partner universities in the region and in collaboration with regional and international organisations. Finally, interactive communication between the programme graduates and public and private service deliverers will be coordinated by the project partners with a view to linking highly qualified new graduates and possible direct employers.