Validation of the Australian model of the tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, in Kenya and investigation of its use to facilitate collaboration with NARs

AS2/1996/014: Validation of the Australian model of the tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, in Kenya and investigation of its use to facilitate collaboration with NARs

N/A

International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, Kenya

Dr G P Kaaya
Phone: 254 2 861680
Fax: 254 2 860110
Email: icipe@cgnet.com

• Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya
• Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Pest Management, Australia

$145,000

01/07/1996 - 30/06/1998

Dr Bob Dalgliesh

The use of computer models to provide African and international scientists guidelines for the management of ticks and tickborne diseases, for use in their vaccination programmes, has now become critical. With over 25 years of experience in tick research ICIPE is developing an African wide electronic network for the transfer of information across the internet. CSIRO has a vast comparative advantage in the area of tick modelling through its earlier work on ACIAR project 8303 which saw the development of a tick model in Africa. The two institutions propose to collaborate to implement the model and make results available to NARS. CSIRO proposes to test a Modelling Workshop Format to facilitate adoption of the model. The present proposal is for ICIPE and CSIRO/CTPM to collaborate with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) to (a) validate the model in a new environment, (b) test the proposed modelling workshop protocol, (c) analyse the tick problem in Kenya and design optimal management strategies, and to (d) make the results available to other countries through ICIPE's electronic network as an exemplar of a strategic approach to pest management.

ICIPE, with the assistance of KARI in Kenya and CSIRO Entomology in Australia, used the results from a previous ACIAR funded bilateral tick modelling project to validate and adapt the Australian computer model of the major African tick vector species, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, in Kenya for the management and control of ticks. The model technology developed was made available to NARES in other parts of Africa via the ICIPE African IPM electronic network, and a training workshop held at ICIPE to train participants from 6 African countries in the use of the computer models. Overall the models were found to be powerful tools for identifying risks from the spread of ticks and tickborne diseases and for designing and communicating policy options to policy makers, extension officers and farmers.