FarmVetCare supports farmers by providing 24/7 access to veterinary experts

On morning of March 20, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in collaboration with the National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR), host a consultation workshop on the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in animal husbandry management and animal disease surveillance in Vietnam.

The workshop is under the framework of Improving human health through sustainable value chains in human-animal-environmental interactions using ICT in Vietnam (ICT4Health) project, funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA).

NIVR, together with ILRI and local partners, has developed and piloted the FarmVetCare mobile application.

Dr. Fred Unger, ILRI Regional Representative for Asia, emphasized that the workshop addresses the need for digital solutions in livestock farming and disease management, thereby enhancing the application of ICT in livestock management and zoonotic disease control.

The workshop aimed to gather stakeholder feedback on the usability and effectiveness of the application before its wider implementation in local areas under the project framework.

Participants emphasized the need for installation guidance, user-friendly features for elderly farmers, and improvements in updating knowledge on animal disease treatment.

FarmVetCare mobile application is funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), is a digital solution designed to enhance disease control and support the government's efforts in outbreak prevention.

Dr. Fred Unger hopes that the participation of regulatory agencies, livestock and veterinary researchers, as well as ICT experts from both domestic and international sectors, will help refine the application based on farmers' input and meet user needs.

According to Dr. Bui Nghia Vuong, Head of NIVR and Director of the ICT4Health project, today's workshop aims to gather feedback on the FarmVetCare application, which has been piloted in Hoa Binh and Lao Cai provinces. Participants include scientists who share a common interest in ICT development and contribute ideas to refine the project's application.

The training sessions in 2024 gathered feedback from veterinarians and farmers, assessing the application's potential and areas for improvement. During the 2025 - 2026 phase, the project will focus on sampling and surveying farm models.

South Korean IT company, AIDKorea will discuss the smooth transfer of the application to Vietnam. This discussion aims to refine the ICT application effectively in the 2025 - 2026 period, ensuring maximum benefits for farmers and users.

At the workshop, Dr. Bui Nghia Vuong introduced the ICT4Health project (2022 - 2026), which aims to improve human health by strengthening the capacity of the government and communities to prevent, control, or eliminate risks of transboundary diseases through the One Health approach and the use of information technology.

The project consists of five components: Gap analysis on transboundary animal and emerging zoonotic diseases (TAEZDs); Establishment of surveillance teams; Pilot studies for electronic surveillance and training; Development of methodological tools to improve health along the value chain; and Implementation of community interventions.

The FarmVetCare application enables veterinary authorities and farmers to access real-time disease updates, supporting timely detection and management of diseases such as African swine fever, foot andmouth disease, lumpy skin disease, and zoonotic threats like avian influenza, rabies and leptospirosis arecrucial, and digital innovations offer effective solutions to address these challenges.

The FarmVetCare information application expands its user base to include farmers, veterinarians, and regulatory agencies, ensuring effective interaction and communication among all three parties.

Constant information sharing, user-friendly for multiple users

"Sharing more at the workshop, Ms. Jina Kim, Business Development Director at AIDKorea, noted that some current challenges include limited access to veterinary services, difficulties in diagnosis and treatment, and delayed interventions that impact the economy and livestock productivity. Late disease detection poses a high risk of rapid spread within communities.

To address these challenges, FarmVetCare was developed to enhance communication between farmers, veterinarians, and regulatory agencies, provide real-time updates, and support disease surveillance and treatment methods in livestock farming.

Farmers can access professional 24/7 veterinary consultations, enabling early diagnosis and alerting designated veterinarians to help limit the spread of infectious and zoonotic diseases.

Additionally, a key feature of the application is its user-friendly interface, which allows easy uploading of animal symptoms. It also provides automatic notifications to keep farmers updated on the latest trends, facilitates remote consultations, and ensures continuous information sharing between farms and veterinary experts.