APT for Africa

We are now working to take the APT project into a new context through partnerships in Africa. The idea is that the basis step by step model for implementing appropriate technology also has a relevance to projects in less developed countries. We re therefore looking to coolaborate woith communiuty based projects to explore the use of mobile phones running Android, Google forms and podcasting.

Our first initiative aims to explore the opportunities provided by mobile technologies to enhance animal disease surveillance, reporting and feedback in Africa. It will draw on the extensive experience of its partners working in the field, university based research and development expertise and the insight and experience provided by Google and other technology providers.

Development Model

The APT for Africa initiative builds on the JISC funded EMERGE programme and the Users and Innovation Development Model. This model has been adapted by the Bloomsbury Colleges to help create and implement a step based introduction to Appropriate and Practical Technology. This has been used to introduce a range of Google tools into teaching and research with significant success (www.bloomsbury.ac.uk/apt ). The intention is now to extend this approach to enable collaboration with partners in livestock and wider development arena .

Partners

The following partners are associated with this initiative:

• London International Development Centre – coordinates the development activities of all 6 Bloomsbury Colleges

• Souther African Centre for Disease Surveillance – has a remit to promote One Health including animal disease surveillance

• Bloomsbury Learning Environment – experience of working with the UIDM model in collaboration with Google

• London Knowledge Lab – extensive R and D experience in the use of mobile technologies

• Vetaid – an animal health NGO with extensive experience in East Africa

• Google.org – provided support for SACIDS and the use of mobile technologies in the field

• JISC – government agency which provides support for the UIDM

• Novoda – Android software developer

Application

Using the UIDM methodology, the partners will work with key stakeholders in animal health to identify appropriate and practical mobile innovations. In particular this could focus on the following areas:

• Use of mobile phone devices to capture GPS based disease data by field staff for surveillance purposes

• Disease, population, environment and vaccination monitoring using mobile devices

• Decision, practical and professional support for front line staff from central offices

• Access to location/context sensitive disease/treatment information in text/audio/video format

• Local language based resources to support extension, education and advisory services

• Developing new mobile communities of practice to share experience and support

• Providing cross disciplinary services as part of the One Health agenda

These approaches will be trialled in a number of settings including:

• Zanzibar – RVC student research project on East Coast Fever monitoring working with London Knowledge Lab

• Arusha – Vetaid project with Community Animal Health Workers on disease surveillance

• SACIDS – government veterinary surveillance programmes funded by Google and Rockefeller

• Nairobi Veterinary School - educational programs on ECF working with British Council