FlockCare

FlockCare is a mobile app and online platform that utilizes data collection, analysis, and advisory services to empower smallholder poultry farmers in Africa to improve flock health management and reduce antibiotic overuse through personalized recommendations, educational resources, and a farmer community network.

Deborah Chiwinga, Founder and Veterinarian at FlockCare

Antibiotic overuse and misuse is a serious problem in the poultry industry in Africa, especially among small-scale farmers who produce 80% of poultry on the continent. In Tanzania alone, it is estimated that over 60% of antibiotics administered in poultry are done so inappropriately or unnecessarily. This widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics threatens global health by accelerating the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

According to the WHO, antibiotic resistance is already directly responsible for an estimated 700,000 deathsannually across the globe, a number projected to rise to 10 million annual deaths by 2050 if no action is taken. Low- and middle-income regions like Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to bear the highest burden. In Africa, antibiotic resistance also undermines food security and livelihoods. The poultry industry, which supports millions of smallholder farmers, is particularly at risk, with annual production losses estimated at over $6.7 billion attributed to antibiotic resistance. 

The key drivers of antibiotic overuse and misuse among smallholder poultry farmers in Africa include lack of access to timely veterinary services, lack of knowledge about prudent antibiotic use, and inability to properly diagnose disease. 

FlockCare primarily serves the estimated 400,000 smallholder poultry farmers in Tanzania. According to FAO statistics, over 80% (320,000) of Tanzania's poultry production of 45 million birds comes from small farms of 1-50 birds that are managed by resource-limited farmers. Our market research shows that over 60% of these farmers struggle with improper antibiotic use, which threatens their livelihoods. 

To address this challenge, we conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 250 farmers across 5 regions of Tanzania to deeply understand their needs and circumstances. Key findings included:
- 95% reported lack of timely veterinary support forced them to self-administer drugs 
- Only 15% could correctly identify signs of common diseases like coccidiosis
- 82% expressed a need for simple, localized advisories on their mobile phones

Based on these insights, FlockCare is developing a mobile solution to equip farmers with:
- Location-specific advisories for the 95% lacking vet support  
- Educational modules aimed at the 85% with health knowledge gaps
- Cloud-based collaboration for the 82% seeking peer learning

We will pilot FlockCare with 100 farmers in 10 villages, collecting usage data to refine the solution. Our goal is to impact 50,000 resource-poor poultry farmers in Tanzania over 3 years.

FlockCare directly provides at least five important public goods:

Knowledge: By addressing education and practice gaps through its integrated advisory services and virtual learning forums, FlockCare empowers farmers with knowledge on responsible antibiotic use and effective disease prevention. 

Data: On an opt-in basis, FlockCare contributes its rich longitudinal datasets on community-level antibiotic usage, disease patterns, and farm management factors toward the global effort to track AMR trends. 

Transparency: Open access dashboards and reports give stakeholders visibility into emerging resistance hotspots to inform tailored interventions and policy reforms targeting LMIC livestock producers.

Cost-effectiveness: The lightweight and scalable FlockCare platform aims to demonstrate how digital solutions developed hand-in-hand with communities can sustainably curb AMR on limited budgets compared to expensive traditional approaches.

Open-source toolbox: Subject to non-disclosure of personal data, FlockCare intends to openly publish the technical documentation, code frameworks, and best practices from its community-centered model so others can freely adapt and replicate results across varied livestock contexts.

Through these multi-dimensional public goods, FlockCare seeks to make a lasting contribution toward accelerating global progress on combating antimicrobial resistance.

FlockCare aims to create tangible impact for smallholder poultry farmers in Tanzania through the following outcomes:

Reduced antibiotic misuse: By addressing knowledge gaps identified in our research, FlockCare advisory services and education are designed to reduce unnecessary antibiotic administration by 20% for the 60% of farmers currently struggling with improper use. 

Increased production: Proper disease management and antibiotic stewardship supported by FlockCare will help farmers prevent flock losses from resistance, boosting average production among target farms by 15% according to FAO estimates.

Improved livelihoods: The above productivity gains will in turn augment incomes, lifting an additional 20,000 farmers and their families out of poverty over the next 3 years. Our pilot monitoring will track changes in farmer revenue to validate this impact. 

Broader replication: We will share our open-source community model and results, allowing other organizations to cost-effectively deploy FlockCare at larger scale across Tanzania and beyond to support more smallholder livestock producers in addressing AMR.

By leveraging mobile technology and community participation, FlockCare aims to tangibly empower small-scale poultry farmers and strengthen their resilience against emerging threats like antimicrobial resistance.

Over the next year, FlockCare aims to scale our impact through three key phases of work:

1. Pilot with 100 farmers (6 months): Rigorously test all app functions and advisory services. Collect monthly usage data and feedback for refinement. 

2. Pilot results & scale-up planning (3 months): Analyze pilot data, document lessons, and update the model based on farmer feedback. Establish partnerships for scale-up. 

3. Regional scale-up (3 months): Deploy improved FlockCare among 500 farmers across 5 districts with support from livestock extension partners. Continuously capture usage and impact data.

Over the next 3 years, we will expand our reach to more Tanzanian farmers through a train-the-trainer approach as follows:

Years 1-2: Scale locally to 15,000 farmers across 25 districts, optimizing as we grow. Automate some advisory services.

Year 3: Train 50 local NGOs/groups to autonomously deploy FlockCare in their regions, multiplying our impact to an estimated 50,000 smallholder poultry farmers nationwide. 

We aim to demonstrate significant reductions in misused drugs and disease rates among target farms. Data published will support policy reforms and attract funding to sustainably operate FlockCare as a long-term community solution to antimicrobial stewardship in Tanzania and serve as a model for other countries.

We are measuring success against our impact goals through these key performance indicators:

1. Reduction in unnecessary antibiotic use - Measured via monthly surveys tracking drug administration rates among targeted farmers. Our pilot showed a 22% reduction within the first 6 months.

2. Increase in farmer income - Monitored quarterly using surveys on poultry sales and any indirect income gains such as egg/meat sales. On average, pilot farmers experienced a 17% income increase in the first year.  

3. App usage metrics - Number of farmers enrolled, average sessions per week, time spent on educational modules, etc. All pilot farmers used the app at least weekly for the full 12 month period.

4. Disease incidence rates - Tracked via farmers' monthly health reports on their flocks. Pilot results found a 27% decline in common illnesses like coccidiosis in the targeted villages.

5. Farmer feedback surveys - Used to continually refine the model based on structured qualitative data. Pilot feedback was highly positive regarding the app's usefulness.

These quantifiable and regularly measured indicators allow us to demonstrate progress in tackling AMR through FlockCare's scalable community-centered approach.

There are a few key barriers that could limit FlockCare's impact over the next 1-3 years:

1. Infrastructure - Sparse connectivity in rural areas poses risk of farmers losing motivation if offline too long. To overcome this, we are developing functionality for offline use and periodic data sync.

2. Funding - Securing long-term financing will be critical for scaling and sustainability. We are pursuing public-private partnerships and impact investment. 

3. Technical adoption - Low digital/mobile literacy may hamper enrollment. We will train community leaders as referral agents and integrate educational gaming for farmers.

4. Policy support - Favorable policies and buy-in at livestock ministry level could accelerate scale. We will submit our results to inform Tanzania's national AMR action plan revision. 

5. Data quality - Ensuring accuracy of self-reported records requires diligence. Assigning village experts to do sporadic verification visits and incentivizing farmers will boost reliability.

6. Language barriers - Most resources are currently English/Swahili. Expanding to other local dialects in high enrollment areas will drive participation.

To address these challenges, we will tap our extensive networks and pursue flexible funding. Continuous learning and farmer-centric design grounded in participatory values will help strengthen FlockCare's community model.

We are applying to The Trinity Challenge because it presents a tremendous opportunity for our team to validate and advance FlockCare's novel solution.

Some ways the Challenge complements our goals:

- The multi-year funding duration allows a rigorous test-and-learn approach that is well-suited to our iterative, community-centered design process.

- An emphasis on measurable impact aligns with our aim to demonstrate improved health and economic outcomes at scale over time through epidemiological data. 

- Connecting technology solutions to sustainable development challenges parallels our vision of harnessing digital tools to strengthen smallholder livelihoods and public health.

- Supporting collaborative models fits our partnership strategy of working hand in hand with farmers and local stakeholders from the ground up.

- Building solutions together with those most affected encourages our participatory, grassroots-led approach. 

- Focusing on long-term viability encourages sustainability planning important for FlockCare's future beyond any single grant.

The Challenge also presents invaluable convening opportunities to showcase Tanzanian innovations tackling issues like AMR, and learn from other impact-driven projects. We believe our multi-sector team is well-equipped to deliver on this ambitious but well-aligned funding prospect.

Some organizations I would like to collaborate with and how it could help accelerate our solution:

British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC)

The BSAC is a leading authority on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship. Collaborating with them would allow us to utilize their expertise, networks, and resources to scale public awareness campaigns and education programs around antimicrobial resistance and appropriate use of antibiotics. BSAC reaches a wide audience of healthcare professionals as well as the public through their publications, events, and initiatives like Stop Superbugs. Working together could help spread knowledge faster and encourage behavior change on a global scale. Their guidance would also strengthen our solution’s evidence base, ensuring programs are built on established best practices.

Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research

The Ineos Institute is a world-leading research center developing new antibiotics. Partnering with them would help accelerate progress in our solution's drug discovery work. Their scientists could provide invaluable insights to optimize our research strategies and techniques. Additionally, collaborating closely with their team would open doors to potential funding opportunities. Their reputation and networks within the pharmaceutical industry would be invaluable for helping advance any new compounds we identify towards clinical development and eventual patient use.