Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) Avian Influenza Campaign

As part of this effort, ACDI/VOCA distributed 24,500 informational brochures to smallholder livestock farmers and association members that had received assistance from the Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI)-Dairy and Livestock project. In addition, organisers distributed the materials to the public at large, drawing on their connection to a network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government agencies, and community groups and forums, such as mosques and newspaper stands. Using colourful illustrations and simple language, the brochures explain the nature of avian flu and associated risks for poultry and humans, and demonstrate how to practice good prevention measures to mitigate risk of infection for both poultry and humans.

To facilitate dissemination of these materials, organisers sent a letter in June 2007 to USAID contractors and grantees, indicating that "it is very important that we take our social responsibility seriously and join together to help inform the public of this potential pandemic....[T]he brochures and printed material are free and available from the Procurement Office at USAID/Egypt. We are asking...[you] to distribute the materials to your partners, clients and customers so that it is disseminated as widely as possible during the normal course of conducting your business and field visits throughout Egypt."

Health, Natural Resource Management.

According to ACDI/VOCA, Egypt confirmed its first H5N1 outbreak in poultry on February 2006, which was followed by its first case of human infection in March 2006. In Egypt, especially in rural areas, poultry are traditionally kept inside of households, creating a situation of close contact between humans and birds, which increases the risk of humans contracting AI from infected animals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of June 2007, the virus had been reported in 18 of Egypt's 26 governorates; there were 37 confirmed cases, 15 of which have been fatal.

ACDI (first known as the International Cooperative Development Association) was formed in 1963 by major U.S. farm cooperatives. Membership soon included farm credit banks. VOCA (known at inception as the Volunteer Development Corps) was established in 1970. To learn more about the AERI-Dairy and Livestock project, click here.