The Shire Valley Vector Control Project (Shire-Vec)

About the project

The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Controlling Vector Borne Diseases in Emerging Agricultural Systems in Malawi was a research collaboration between LSTM, Malawi College of Medicine, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Centre, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource and African Institute for Development Policy. Dr Themba Mzilahowa from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and Dr Chris Jones from LSTM led the group.

Based in the Chikwawa region of southern Malawi, the group’s Shire Valley Vector Control Project (Shire-Vec) focused on the Shire Valley Transformation programme (SVTP), a new 40,000-hectare irrigation scheme which began construction in 2020. Shire-Vec investigated how the new irrigation scheme affects vector-borne diseases like malaria and schistosomiasis and their influence on smallholder farming practices. Working with local farmers, Shire-Vec looked to offer practical solutions to manage the impact of the SVTP across both public health and agriculture.

Project objectives

Stakeholder engagement and vector control research capacity

Shire-Vec brought together stakeholders from across public health and agriculture via the Technical Vector Control Advisory Group of the Ministry of Health in Malawi and established a Community Advisory Group with the local farming communities. Pre- and post-doctoral Malawian trainees were recruited to strengthen the future capacity of vector-borne disease research and control in Malawi.

Disease surveillance to determine the risk of  disease inside and outside of the irrigation catchment area

Shire-Vec conducted vector surveillance at selected sites around irrigated farms to monitor any changes to insect and snail populations and their distribution. Shire-Vec studied the behavioural practices in the farming communities exploring the influence on vector-host contact due to the irrigation scheme.

Pilot locally tailored interventions

Shire-Vec piloted novel interventions for vector management and determined their acceptability to the community whilst establishing their value for money.

Integrate vector control into agricultural and irrigation policy

Using the evidence generated, Shire-Vec provided recommendations for mitigating vector-borne disease in future planned extensions of the SVTP and other national agricultural development schemes.