African Poultry Network

1. Basic Information

Name of organization: African Poultry Network of the World Poultry Science Association
Acronym: APN WPSA
Year/date/place of establishment:  Friday the 27th of September 2010 INRA Nouzilly, France 
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.africanpoultrynetwork.org
Name of coordinator/chair: Dr. Thomas  Kaudia

Contact persons

Contact Address

Chairman of the APN-WPSA
Winrock International
Box 60745 – 00200 Nairobi

2. Background Information of the APN-WPSA

A workshop was held at INRA Nouzilly, France on Friday the 27th of September 2010 to discuss the establishment of the WPSA (sub-Saharan African poultry Network.  About 50 poultry practitioners including African delegates and WPSA members involved or interested in the whole poultry value chain in Sub-Saharan Africa actively participated in the deliberations.   Discussions centred on the aims, goals, structure, modus operandi of the Network.  In addition ways in which the Network will operate to assist in strengthening poultry education, training, research capability and overcoming the constraints of poultry production in Africa were brainstormed. 
The Network was thus established on the 27th of September 2010 in Tours, France during the European Poultry Conference.  It is a thematic network covering research, education/training, extension and organisational activities along the whole poultry value chain. A “across sector “ approach will enable students, researchers, stakeholders and practitioners in the small-scale family, semi-scavenging sector 4 production with indigenous birds, large scale, sector 1 commercial meat and egg production practitioners to be active participants of the APN-WPSA.

The establishment of the APN management

In the interim five “champions” were elected to oversee the functioning of the Network.    
Countries and Members selected

Cameron : Dr Jean Claude Fotza
Togo : Prof Kokou Tona
Kenya : Dr Thomas Jean Claude
Mozambique : Dr Rosa Felizarda da Costa
South Africa : Dr Harry Swatson

Subsequently a steering committee was established that included the champion’s and three members from established WPSA branches in Africa.
The additional members are from

Nigeria : Prof Daisy Eruvbetine
Ghana : Prof Comfort Acheampong
Tanzania : Prof Uswege  Minga 

3. Vision statement (draft)

To be a Global leader in promoting poultry education, appropriate and innovative research, scholarly and professional poultry related activities and providing services to the poultry industry along the whole poultry value chain
Members are required to participate in cross-country, cross cultural poultry related activities.  Our members have the ability to effectively communicate and innovatively apply their specialist poultry knowledge to provide the required advice on solving problems relating to the whole poultry value chain. 
Strategic partnerships between members of the APN will enable the discovery, transfer of knowledge and skills through research, training and development.  The APN is well poised to anticipate and effectively respond positively to changes and challenges in the African Poultry Industry value chain.

Mission Statement (draft..)

The African Poultry Network of the World Poultry Science Association promotes the generation of new innovative  knowledge and the development of human capital  through the dissemination of research, training and development information in support of a prosperous African Poultry Sector.    

Aims/Objectives of the WPSA-APN in Africa (…draft)

• Promotion of poultry science research , education /training and development to increase scholarly productivity
• Develop and support new innovative approaches to improve and expand graduate and undergraduate poultry research, training and development experience
• Building strong multidisciplinary and multi-institutional Poultry teams with national and international recognition. 
• Provide access to updated blend of poultry information based on innovative practices, appropriate research for the African poultry rearing environment
• Support the development of the  poultry industry throughout Africa
• Encourage the exchange of scientific and technological information amongst African countries
• Support country specific WPSA activities and between country collaboration in poultry education, training, research and extension
• Stimulate Universities, Colleges of Agriculture, educational or research institutions to engage with the poultry industry and farmers within countries and between countries in Africa
• Encourage members to gather, organize, provide access to  and share appropriate scientific data or information on various agreed research output or activities
• Provide an efficient clearing house system that will gather, edit/censor poultry information and distribute this to its audience or stakeholders
• Organise e-conferences and workshops
• Set up a technical/implementation/monitoring and evaluation unit to carry out key functions that will continuously advance the APN (i.e ICT Task Team)

The Network may undertake other related activities if considered appropriate by the General Assembly and/or the Executive Committee.

4. Values for excellence

Under development

5. Targeted membership

• WPSA members from all African countries
• Institutions of higher learning or Agricultural Colleges
• Non-Government Organisations
• Community Based Organisations
• Agribusiness/Farmers

6. Funding

Funded through WPSA Membership fees and external funding where appropriate

7. Need for the APN

Address some challenges facing the African poultry industry. These include:

• High proportion of dysfunctional poultry enterprises or projects
• Low/lack of  interest amongst commercial and small-holder farmers
• Barriers for developing farmers to migrate into commercial integrated production along the whole poultry value chain
• Deterioration of poultry research, rearing and training infrastructure
• Lack of niche marketing
• Low levels of poultry experience
• Disease problems in poultry industry
• Access to quality and quantity of inputs
• Poultry information and linkages with the private sector, research and support services

8. Planned APN Activities

APN activities will include but will not be limited to the following:

• Registering the network and developing a funding scheme
• Developing a fundable proposal for the implementation of the network
• Building a catalogue of the status quo of the poultry sector role players including an inventory of poultry projects (past, on-going or future). Do a SWOT analysis on some of the poultry projects.
• Organizing an e-conference/ workshops to stimulate member participation and provide a regular dose of good publicity for the WPSA/African Poultry Industry.
• Develop or update the database of education, training and extension resources for both poultry farmers and poultry practitioners training
• Organizing a workshop to create a road map for the African poultry sector specific to each country but globally compliant
• Lobbying towards governments and donors, in order to propose coordinated projects with a high probability of success.  Build a team of suitably qualified mentors or supervisors for these projects
• Develop or update the database of education, training and extension resources for both poultry farmers and poultry practitioners training in Africa