Production and promotion of ecological mosquito repellent products in burundi for the prevention of malaria in africa

General purpose

Reducing the prevalence of malaria to vulnerable populations in Burundi and neighboring countries access to affordable anti-mosquito products in the context of prevention of malaria.

Specific purpose

Installation of a production unit népétalactone, from the plant Nepeta cataria (Catnip, catmint). This plant is profitable, environmentally sustainable and integrated into a value chain.

 

Activites to be completed

Preliminary steps

• Feasibility and profitability of a production unit of NPL in Burundi, including a study of environmental impact.
• Developing a business plan.
• Mobilization of investment needed from the government, donors, investment funds and private sector.
• Obtaining a building permit and file with the Burundian authorities.

The culture of the nepeta

• Adaptation trials of Nepeta cataria. Experimental methods of cultivation and harvesting frequencies that are most appropriate.
• Seed multiplication.
• Identification of areas and agricultural lands that are appropriate.
• Identification and training of farmers of Nepeta.
• Support to producers in participatory research forms the most appropriate management (production cooperatives, or collection, community or individual fields, contract farming etc..).
• Organization of input supply.
• Organization of the harvest, collection and the transportation of harvested plants.

Construction of the plant

• Acquisition of suitable land for the construction of an agro-industrial complex not too far from the production area.
• Secure supply energy (preferably from a hydro-electric).
• Design of complex extraction of nepetalactone.
• Import of machinery and durable construction with local materials.

The promotion of the products

• Needs study: user preferences regarding the different types of conditioning repellent.
• Development of appropriate products.
• Developing a strategy with the government and civil society for the enhancement of the natural insect repellent for the benefit of vulnerable populations.
• Popularizing the use of the product in Burundi through the existing structures for health care, and out of Burundi, in close collaboration with specialized agencies such as the Global Partnership against Malaria (Roll Back Malaria).

Excpected results

• Adoption of farming methods most appropriate for Nepeta cataria in the context of family farming business in Burundi.
• Adoption of appropriate forms of management, selected by the producers, beneficial to them and ensuring their autonomous control over production.
• Diversification of agriculture in Burundi.
• Introduction and adoption of new technologies agri-business in Burundi.
• Reducing poverty by creating jobs and stable incomes for farmers and employees of catnip and factory workers (at least 500 farmers and 20 jobs at the factory).
• Access to vulnerable populations of the insect repellent is provided to over 90%.
• Diversification of export products to earn foreign exchange and strengthen the balance of the payments.
• Offer a competitive product in the common market of East Africa and the Economic Community of Great Lakes countries.
• Promotion of corporate social responsibility in Burundi.
• Increased productivity at work and academic success of youth, and reduction of mortality through reduced malaria.

Schedule

Sustainability

• Financial sustainability: a part of the production will be subsidized for vulnerable populations in Burundi, another part will be sold to generate revenue for the agro-industrial unit. In all cases the unit must achieve a break-even to ensure its financial sustainability.
• The sustainability of production of raw material: the project must be acquired in all factors of production necessary for its durability (ability to reproduce seeds, nursery plants, decentralized methods appropriate fertilization, harvesting tools, resources transport for delivery to the plant, etc.). In addition, the management methods adopted by the producers to allow optimal autonomy and room for maximum income.
• The technical sustainability: the professional team that manages the unit should be formed for the use and maintenance of facilities, control of production processes, quality control, etc..
• Environmental Sustainability: all buildings, cultivation techniques, energy supply and treatment processes in the factory will be designed for a minimal emission of greenhouse gas to reduce environmental impact.

• The most important risk is probably due to the uncertain political situation of the country and its governance. The incumbent president was reelected with an overwhelming majority of votes, following the withdrawal of all candidates of other parties as soon as the municipal elections had shown that the president's party, the CNDD-FDD, contrary to expectations in other parties, has yet an enormous popular support outside the capital. By refusing to recognize the vox populi, the opposition political parties have shown little political maturity, democratic principles and accept that if they play their advantage. Much will depend now, end of July 2010 parliamentary elections, because if the other parties continue to boycott the electoral process the country may face a deadlock of the institutions, thus becoming ungovernable and slide toward chaos. Achieving a sustainable development project in a political environment in disintegration will obviously not be possible. But fortunately the political evolution will become clear in the short term, and decisions regarding this project can be taken judiciously after the election cycle.
  If the political situation stabilizes and institutions are able to function normally, it is foreseeable that the Government will give full support to this project, as has already expressed the outgoing Minister of Planning, Mr. Abdullah Manirakiza Tabu, in her letter of July 7, 2010, attached. Indeed, at the beginning of a term climate is conducive to innovation, and to launch projects in the longer term, the dividends become visible before the end of the legislature.
• In Burundi, as in most countries of the sub-region, corruption remains an endemic problem that weighs heavily on productive activities by slowing it it also adds unnecessary administrative procedures for launching new activities such as those proposed by this project . It is hoped that the very pronounced social character of the project is likely to discourage those who seek to enrich themselves illegally on the backs of vulnerable populations.
• Another risk is somewhat unpredictable due to climate change. Despite the modest needs of water Nepeta cataria, too great a disruption in rainfall could debase the production of the plant and / or quality of essential oils. The project could anticipate this development by providing at least part of the area of production on irrigated land. On the other hand, as global warming promotes the expansion mosquitoes and therefore malaria to higher altitudes, the relevance of the project will only increase.
• If medical science would eventually develop an effective vaccine against malaria and that the entire population would be routinely vaccinated, as is the case with polio or tetanus, prevention through mosquito repellent may become obsolete. Such a vaccine was first announced in 2010, then for 2013, but so far no definitive conclusion about its effectiveness can be drawn. However, Tatiana Scorza, a researcher in parasitology and immunology at the University of Quebec at Montreal, is skeptical regarding the new vaccine. According to her, "the GSK vaccine targets the hepatic phase, and aims to prevent infection in the case of healthy people who are going to endemic areas, such as tourists or the military. Preventive, the vaccine can help people already infected. It is therefore unnecessary for residents. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical industry ever invest in creating a vaccine specifically targeting African inhabitants of areas affected by malaria. "
• Another risk is that the cost of production of the insect is so high that the product is not achieving the economic capacity of vulnerable populations. For this reason, the project will develop with the Burundian government, civil society and the WHO strategy to ensure access to the product to those who need it most, because malaria is primarily any disease of the poor. We are convinced that the cost of a preventive approach will always be less than the curative approach, in human suffering, certainly, but also in purely financial terms.