RD endeavors to analyze and develop policy options to enhance milk production and milk products for domestic and export markets in Rwanda, Africa. To aid in policy development, a risk assessment will be performed on the disease burden about the consumption of unprocessed cow’s milk-related to several known pathogens, including five hazards: Brucella spp., Campylobacter spp., NTS, Cryptosporidium spp. (CRYP) and Mycobacterium bovis (MBOV). Secondly, an analysis will examine the milk value chain across the entire marketing chain, including farmers, transporters, milk collection centers, and milk processing establishments.   

To obtain food group attribution data for ETEC and specific food attribution data for all hazards, we will apply Cooke’s Classical Model, a recognized scientific method for Structured Expert Judgement (SEJ), to quantify the uncertainty in unknown quantities. Qualitative data is also collected through structured questionnaires with various leaders in the marketing chain. This method has also been applied by the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), of which Dr. Arie Havelaar served as a chair in a study for the US Centers for Disease Control. This study is led by Dr. Ronald M. Gordon, from the Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida.  

If you are interested in learning more about the RD project, please click here.