Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) is an international research collective formed as a partnership between the Roslin Institute (with its UK base at the University of Edinburgh), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

Bringing together a network of world-leading experts from multiple institutions, the Centre is at the forefront of global research in livestock genetics and health, in support of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The RJA&HS and JOA are supporting CTLGH to conduct scientific research on dairy cattle genetics and livestock recording to gather data on the most appropriate dairy cattle genetics and systems for Africa.

The Centre maintains a hub in Edinburgh, as well as Nairobi and Addis Ababa through ILRI.

PAN Livestock Services Limited (PAN) has close academic links with the Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Research Unit (VEERU) at the University of Reading. PAN works with farmers, businesses and governments to support healthy and sustainable livestock systems both in the UK and internationally.

The role of livestock information is central to these activities which range from national livestock databases for livestock registration and traceability (in Malta and Kosovo) through to on-farm herd management and support of extension activities in large and smallholder livestock systems.

In the UK the company has worked with Europe’s largest milk recording organisation, National Milk Records (NMR), since 2001 and their livestock database has been operational in Malta as an EU-approved national livestock database since 2003.

The RJA&HS is partnering with PAN to support livestock related activities in Malawi and Ethiopia, as well as in Rwanda collaborating with government to develop a national cattle database.

Originally formed in the United States in the late 1970s, over the years, Project Mercy’s remit has expanded from a faith-led humanitarian relief provider to a community development organisation with multiple hubs in Ethiopia providing programmes in education, health care and rural development.

This has included establishing a cattle breeding farm at Cha Cha – a small town approximately 50km northeast of Addis Abba – which has already provided over 130 Jersey heifers to families in need. The RJA&HS’ project with Project Mercy (2020-23), funded by JOA , seeks to greatly expand the services offered by the breeding farm to improve the productivity, incomes and food security of beneficiary farmers, by improving service delivery and genetic quality of the local dairy cattle population.

The project also aims to increase awareness of the Jersey breed and good breed management practices among influential stakeholders in the region and nationally.

The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) is an autonomous agency of the Government of Rwanda, focused on development of the national agricultural sector including crops, livestock, fisheries and natural resources management including forestry, soil and water.

RAB was formed in 2017 as an amalgamation of three different agencies to bridge the gap between agricultural research, extension services, and policy. The RJA&HS partners with RAB along with Send a Cow on the Jersey Inka Phase II project (see ‘Send a Cow’ below) with RAB providing support with extension, training and research activities and ensuring that activities are aligned with government priorities and other initiatives for agricultural development.

Send a Cow is an INGO (International Non Governmental Organisation) established in the UK in 1988. Originally formed as a faith-based charity providing expertise and donated dairy cows in rural Uganda, Send a Cow has expanded to a much wider portfolio of projects developing rural livelihoods in countries across Africa.

Send a Cow’s work now focuses not only on improving farming practices for food security and good nutrition, but on wider aims of increasing gender and social inclusion, and developing the business skills and market linkages of smallholder farmers. Send a Cow works in Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia. The RJA&HS first partnered with Send a Cow in 2017 under the first phase of the JOA-funded Jersey Inka Nziza (‘Jersey Good Cow’) project in Rwanda.

Following the success of Phase I, the RJA&HS has again partnered with Send a Cow to deliver Jersey Inka Nziza Phase II (2019-22), working with over 13,000 smallholder farmers to improve production practices, provide quality genetics and breeding services, and enhance food security, incomes, and gender and social inclusion.

The Shire Highlands Milk Producers Association (SHMPA) has been the main actor in smallholder dairy development in Malawi since forming in 1985.

SHMPA is an organisation of smallholder dairy farmers active in the southern region, the main milk producing area of Malawi.With membership numbering over 10,000, SHMPA producers account for over 90% of milk producers nationally. Membership consists entirely of smallholder farmers selling their milk through Milk Bulking Groups (MBGs), over 50% of whom are female.

SHMPA has implemented dairy development projects funded by Oxfam, the European Union (2002-2011), the UK Department For International Development (2012-17) and JOA (2018-2021). The RJA&HS has worked with SHMPA since 2018 as the key implementing partner in the MDG (Malawi Dairy Growth) project (2018-2021). During this time, the RJA&HS has developed a close working relationship with SHMPA, who have also built a network with other partners, including at the 2019 regional dairy conference in Kigali, Rwanda where SHMPA led a presentation on their project approach to regional stakeholders.

UdderWise is a veterinary consultancy specialising in practical mastitis solutions and tailor made training for the dairy industry throughout the world. UdderWise provides a personal service with a small number of clients that delivers value and is based on long term relationships. UdderWise is owned by Peter Edmondson, a dairy vet specialising in mastitis and milk quality with extensive international experience. He worked with large dairies in Saudi Arabia and China and then moved to the UK and was a director in a specialist dairy practice before forming UdderWise in 2015. He has written three books on mastitis and regularly speaks at international conferences. Peter has provided extensive remote and in-country support over recent years to the Society’s projects in Malawi and Ethiopia, advising on issues such as cattle health, fertility and milk quality and supporting development of training materials.