April 13, 2021

USAID engages Cargill-led private sector consortium on global health security

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on April 12 that it has launched Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM), a five-year, US$33-million project, subject to the availability of funds, that will harness private sector-led innovation to address emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance in animal production value chains in Asia and Africa.

TRANSFORM will be implemented by a consortium led by Cargill that also includes Ausvet, Heifer International, and the International Poultry Council. TRANSFORM will engage global market actors, including those in animal production and marketing systems as well as partner country governments, to develop, test, and scale innovative solutions that sustainably improve animal health, strengthen production systems in animal agriculture value chains, and enhance global health security.

TRANSFORM will also develop and implement globally-harmonised, evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship policies across the animal production industry, and establish a market-driven animal health surveillance and data analytics platform to reduce infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.

In a separate Cargill press release, it was indicated that TRANSFORM will prioritise efforts to significantly decrease diseases spread from animals to humans such as foodborne pathogens, anthrax and avian and swine influenza. The group will also consider transboundary animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever.