Overview
The Strategies Against Flu Emergence (SAFE) project is a two-year project to support USAID/Indonesia’s Avian and Pandemic Influenza (API) Program to reduce the impact and transmission of avian influenza (AI) to animals and humans, and limit the emergence of a pandemic influenza virus. Led by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), the SAFE project works to promote public-private partnerships, good poultry farming practices, improved biosecurity and hygiene behaviors at farms and markets, and improved care-seeking behavior for AI. The SAFE program is incentive-based, entrepreneurial and collaborative. The geographic focus is on ten high risk districts of West Java and Banten. As a core partner, JHU•CCP is designing and implementing strategic behavior change communication (BCC) campaigns targeted at workers along the poultry value chain and at poultry consumers who are at risk for AI.
Accomplishments
- SAFE has set up several teaching farms, or model poultry farms for prevention of H5N1. These farms are a powerful tool to help other poultry farmers take the initial steps to improve biosecurity at their farms. A series of touring “stations” representing good biosecurity and farming practices were set up across each farm, each with an explanatory sign beside it.
- As of November 2012, over 1,000 visitors, mostly farmers, industry technical services staff and students,have visited and toured the teaching farms.
- 146 Sector 3 poultry broiler farms have increased biosecurity and self-financed changes as a result of visiting SAFE’s teaching farms.
- As of November 2012, 846 vendors in 20 live bird market have improved their risk reduction practices related to hygiene and sanitation, such as functioning drainage systems, waste collection infrastructure, and washing facilities.
- In collaboration with Aisyiyah (female Muslim preacher association), SAFE has trained 80 field facilitators on food safety, healthy poultry products, and healthy poultry markets.
- As of November 2012, Aisyiyah facilitators have reached over 8,000 women in 10 districts through thematic Quran readings. They were involved in discussion and disseminated useful information they received at the events to their relatives and peers.
- On 29 September 2012, SAFE launched its first radio drama on Avian Influenza that is being broadcast on 10 commercial radio stations in 10 districts. The drama takes an investigation and entertainment education theme to highlight problems and challenges throughout Indonesian poultry chain. One listener had the following things to say about the radio drama: "I laughed when listening to it. The show had funny moments, especially when it comes to the romantic affairs in the market. At the same time, I wonder what disease that Mr Ajat [a character who has contracted H5N1] has. I think the drama has given me a lot of useful information about how poultry product is being processed and sold in the market. One must be very selective on what products to buy these days,”.
- More than 50 articles on avian influenza were uploaded online on suarakomunitas.net, which has reached a total of 5,024 page views.
- Print materials, including posters, were developed to inform about key biosecurity points along the poulty distribution chain. 5,000 copies of each poster have been printed and distributed to SAFE working areas.
