Animal welfare is critical to human welfare. Animal welfare depends on our attitude towards animals. However, our choices towards animals have consequences to us that are critical to us. The quality of the lives of animals lies in our hands and hearts today, and so does the quality of the lives of our posterity

1. Animals: An Essential Linkage to Environmental
Health, Public Health, and Sustainable Livelihoods
“People, Animals and Planet: One Health, One Welfare”
Africa Animal Welfare Conference – Keynote Presentation
United Nations Complex in Nairobi, Kenya, from 3-5 September 2018
Dr. Mwenda Mbaka
President – Association of African Veterinary Statutory Bodies’ Establishment &
Operationalization Task Force
mwenda.mmbaka@gmail.com
+254722513373

2. Vision of the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa [AWSA]
“An Africa where animals are treated as sentient beings, with good AW
practices for a competitive and sustainable animal resource industry”
Mission of AWSA
“To invest in developing animal resources value chains through treating
animals as sentient beings and supporting good AW practices in the animal
resources industry so as to contribute to socio economic transformation”
Goal of AWSA
“To transform the animal resources industry through adoption of good AW
practices for human wellbeing, sustainable livelihoods, poverty reduction and
economic growth”
Strategic Objectives of AWSA include:
Practices aligned to OIE standards towards animals
Strengthening effective action on AW and to mainstream AW in policies,
strategies, legislation, investments, programs and projects
Preamble

3. Animal Welfare – 3Ps
•A state of physical, physiological and psychological
wellbeing of an animal
• Physical: injury, infection, parasitism; Physiological: metabolic
state; Psychological: fear, discomfort, anxiety
•A key determinant of AW is the environment in which it is
Animals are naturally equipped with adequate resources
to cope with the conditions in a natural environment
Humans disturb the natural environment, and thus
impact on AW
Both domestic and wild animals are affected

4. “Earth”
Soil, Gases,
Water
Plants
Herbivores /
Omnivores
Animals
Carnivores /
Omnivores
Manure [fecal & death], Gases, Biodiversity Control,
Beneficial Organisms, Pathogens, Toxins
Nutrients, Beneficial organisms, Toxins, Pathogens
Nutrients, BO, Pa, Toxins
Microbes & invertebrates interacting at all levels
Cycles of life, 8/5/18 mm
“People, Animals and Planet: One Health,
One Welfare”.

5. Examples of situations for AW violation
Farming
Trade [live livestock and wild animals]
Culture [rituals, leisure]
Work
Medicine [inappropriate practice, unethical conduct or incompetent
practitioners]
Research & Training
Environmental pollution, and environmental encroachment
The more sophisticated, the greater the potential impact on AW;
e.g. intensive livestock production has relatively worse AW
consequences than extensive animal production systems

6. Outcomes of violation of Animal Welfare [stress mode]
• Disrupted digestive and metabolic function
Suppressed productivity & general performance
About 70% of Africa’s communities rely on animal resources for
livelihoods: violation of AW impacts on livelihoods
• Immunosuppression
• Increased demand for drugs
Increased cost of production, risk of drug residues in foods of
animal origin and increased risk of drug resistance
• Increased discharge of pathogens into the environment
Some of which may be drug resistant [costs, death, suffering]
• Increased risk of zoonoses – poor are more vulnerable due to lack of
resources for sufficient medical interventions

7. Conclusion
• Evident that AW is closely linked to
• Healthy environments – healthy animals, less contamination
• Public health – healthier animals, less VPH challenges
• Livelihoods – more productivity, less cost of production
Observation
• Widespread ignorance about the role of AW in society [irrespective of
literacy levels]
Recommendations
• Inclusion of AW training at all levels of formal education
• Increased investment in creating widespread knowledge about the role
of AW in society

8. Parting shots - Food For Thought
Tennyson Williams - Regional Director; World Animal Protection Africa
“AW has often been viewed as a Western concept; it is time to change that
attitude in Africa if Africa is to develop”
Dr. Solomon Munyua – Director IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas & Livestock
Development [ICPALD]
“AW is an integral part of the culture and daily lives of most animal keepers in
ordinary African settings”
Dr. Baboucarr Jaw - Chief Animal Health Officer – AU-IBAR
“AW is critical to animal health, and therefore it has to be an integral
component of the Animal Health Strategy for Africa”
Dr. Sylvia Baluka – President, Uganda Vet Association
“As long as the living conditions for people remain deplorable, it is
almost impossible to achieve better AW”
“AW is no longer a consumption, it is an investment. Clearly, the return on
investment is HW. It is the responsibility of the Vet Profession and AWOs to bring
out this concept clearly to those who control resources” – Tennyson Williams

9. Thank you!
His attitude
is the……
MASTER of a
man’s……
destiny
……
“The quality of the lives of animals lies in our hands
and hearts today, and so does the quality of the
lives of our posterity” - mm