Project Description
The action with Grant contract identification No. AURG II-2-225-2018 is implemented in Ghana and Uganda with Makerere University – College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Kampala, Uganda as the beneficiary institution. The project partners include the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Institutes of Food Research (FRI) and Water Research (WRI); Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Cape Coast; and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research; University of Ghana-Legon. In Ghana, the CSIR-FRI coordinates all the other institutions’ activities; therefore, hosts the project co-PI. Prof. Martha Clokie of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom is also a partner, whose main role is to supervise and mentor the team in the areas of phage laboratory activities. In Uganda, the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute, of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NAFIRRI – NARO), coordinates the in vitro and on-station bacteriophage evaluation studies. The action’s major objective is to develop bacteriophage cocktails as fish disease biocontrol agents for improved aquaculture productivity among tilapia farmers. Thus, it will contribute to economic and social development by addressing food and nutrition security in Ghana and Uganda. It is expected to enhance fish farm productivity through the management of bacterial diseases using a bio-control agent, which is more specific, safer, and cheaper than the use of antibiotics.
partners include Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Institutes of Food Research (FRI) and Water Research (WRI); Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, University of Cape Coast; and Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research; University of Ghana-Legon. In Ghana, the CSIR-FRI coordinates all the other institutions’ activities; therefore, hosts the project co-PI. Prof. Martha Clokie of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom is also a partner, whose main role is to supervise and mentor the team in the areas of phage laboratory activities
The Organisational structure
PROJECT AIM
To develop bacteriophage cocktails as fish disease bio-control agents for improved aquaculture productivity among tilapia farmers, and for economic and social development by addressing food and nutrition safety in Ghana and Uganda
PROJECT RATIONALE
Improved fish farm productivity for enhancement of the food, nutrition and economic security in Ghana and Uganda
PROJECT GOAL
Develop phage products for integrated fish disease management and minimize antibiotic use in animal production systems through actualizing phage applications on the continent
IMPORTANT DETAILS
PROJET OBJECTIVES
1. Determine the microbial safety of the inputs and outputs; and the prevalent bacterial disease agents on the Tilapia fish farms
2. Establish Local host cell banks and seed banks for bacteriophages isolated against the most common and economically significant fish bacterial disease agents
3. Establish the in-situ effectiveness of single and combined bacteriophages at laboratory scale.
4. Establish the performance of the phage products on selected fish farms; the consumer acceptability and adoption by the fish farmers.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
1. Creating awareness and buy-in for the fish disease bio-control agents in the respective countries
2. Documenting production practices that influence the occurrence of fish disease in aquaculture
3. Identifying and characterizing bacterial pathogens of economic importance for farmed tilapia in Ghana and Uganda
4. Determining drugs used in aquaculture and antibiotic susceptibility of the tilapia bacterial isolates
5. Selecting and preserving broad host-range bacteriophages effective against the tilapia bacterial pathogen isolates
6. Establishing the effectiveness of different phage combinations
7. Creating awareness on bacteriophage usage for pathogenic bacterial control and inform policy and guidelines
EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES
Outputs
1. Host cell and seed banks for bacteriophages isolated against the most common bacterial disease agents of farmed tilapia established in each country
2. Phage cocktail products for controlling bacterial diseases in fish farms
3. At least three journal publications and two technical reports for dissemination of the project results
4. At least two scientific presentations at conferences to inform the scientific community about project outcomes
Outcomes
1. Novel single phage and/or phage cocktails that are very potent against a wide range of farmed tilapia
2. pathogenic bacterial species produced
3. Reduction of AMR burden by minimizing drug usage in tilapia aquaculture farms by at least 50%
4. Tilapia production in aquaculture improved
5. Safety of fish food enhanced
Capacity in research and development of phage technology in the East and West African regions built
6. Scaling up the innovation for use in other African countries and animal production systems
Our progress
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SAFE FISH project team
Bacteriophages are enemies of bacteria and occur naturally in the environment and in gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans where specific bacteria exist. In this era of rampant drug resistance, phages are currently explored globally as alternatives for management of bacterial diseases.
This PROJECT will bring out light to the phage usage for the control of bacterial related fish diseases, and promotes phage application maintenance Animal health, human health and the protection of the natural environment.
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