The Resource Foundation will honor Pfizer Animal Health in recognition of the organizations’ 10-year collaboration and impact in helping to improve the lives of farm families in Latin America. Since its inception, the Pfizer Animal Health collaboration with The Resource Foundation has benefited more than 13,000 rural, low-income farmers in 100 communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The honor will be announced at the Foundation’s annual “Plant a Seed” benefit event on October 21, in New York City.

Earlier this week The Resource Foundation and Pfizer Animal Health announced they had begun to expand the education and training initiative designed to increase the capacity, productivity, and quality of life of rural farmers in eight Latin American countries and broaden efforts to India. Pfizer Animal Health and the Pfizer Foundation have committed $460,000 in 2011 targeting more than 3,000 farmers and their families in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, as well as 7,250 farm families through the program’s expansion to India’s Madhya Pradesh, Mathura, Orissa, Uttar Pratesh, and Rajasthan states.

“Over the last 10 years, Pfizer Animal Health has played a transformational role with us in improving the productivity, well-being, and prospects of thousands of rural farmers in Latin America,” said Marcela Lopez-Macedonio, Executive Director of The Resource Foundation. “Pfizer’s knowledge base and experience in animal health matched by the company’s significant presence in Latin America and in Asia strengthens our ability to transfer best practices from countries such as Chile and Peru to India and bring a positive impact to thousands more farm families.”

Improving animal health is crucial in rural communities where farming is the economic engine. For small family farms with only a few animals, the loss of just one animal to disease can threaten the well-being of the entire family. Through this integrated educational initiative, farmers at the base of the economic pyramid acquire advanced animal husbandry skills while each family member also learns basic personal health and hygiene. To implement the program, Pfizer Animal Health and The Resource Foundation partner with local economic and agricultural development organizations, local universities, and local government agencies.

“As a world leader in animal health, we believe we have a responsibility to elevate the capacity of all livestock producers, whether they are subsistence livestock farmers or larger professional livestock producers,” said Joyce Lee, Area President – Canada and Latin America Region, Pfizer Animal Health. “Our collaboration with The Resource Foundation over the years allows us to act on that responsibility, amplify our impact, and demonstrate our commitment as a trusted partner to livestock farmers worldwide. We are proud to share this honor with our partners at The Resource Foundation.”

Highlights of the Pfizer Animal Health collaboration with The Resource Foundation from the past 10 years of program collaboration include: 

• Since 2001, a Goat School Project has benefited more than 1,000 goat-farming families from 19 communities in Brazil’s arid Bahia region. The initiative enables small farms to raise goats and aims to decrease child labor, increase the income of families and combat malnutrition. Since the project began, the child malnutrition rate has decreased 47 percent and families have increased their income by 30 percent. In addition, more than 3,000 children have remained in school because their farm labor was no longer needed.

• Since 2008, nearly 500 farming families in Antioquia, Colombia received technical training in beef and dairy production, helping them improve animal health, benefit from genetic-trait-based breeding techniques, and enhance production efficiency. Participants moved from subsistence to income-generation, qualifying them to receive government and bank funding needed to expand their businesses.

• In the Chumbivilcas province of Peru, 1,600 farmers of cows, sheep and alpacas succeeded within 18 months in considerably reducing the principal gastrointestinal, pulmonary and liver parasites and have eradicated symptomatic anthrax. This helped improve animal health in the province, which in turn has increased incomes of families.

• Training for more than 200 dairy farmers in Zarcero, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica increased production by 15 percent and improved milk quality from Grade A to Excellent as a result of dairy health and production training and the introduction of pasteurization and bar code labeling equipment. These improvements opened new retail channels for their products and, in turn, helped boost income. 

About The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit organization that helps donors support effective, locally-driven development initiatives. Founded in 1987, The Resource Foundation provides advisory, consulting and grant administration assistance to corporations, individuals and foundations interested in supporting high-impact programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Donors rely on its experienced, multilingual staff and their knowledge of the region’s nonprofits and programs to safely and securely support projects that make a difference. Through partnerships, grants, and technical assistance to carefully vetted organizations in 27 countries, The Resource Foundation fulfills its mission to empower the disadvantaged so that they can have the skills, knowledge and opportunities to improve their lives. 

For more information about The Resource Foundation, visit www.resourcefnd.org. 

About Pfizer Animal Health

Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer Inc., is a world leader in the discovery, development and manufacture of innovative animal health vaccines, medicines, diagnostic, and animal genetic improvement products. Pfizer Animal Health invests more in research and development than any other animal health company. We work to assure a safe, sustainable global food supply from healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry and fish while helping dogs, cats and horses live healthier longer lives. We strive to be the animal health company that provides full healthcare solutions to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. To learn more, visit www.animalhealth.pfizer.com.

About Pfizer Foundation

The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. Its mission is to promote access to quality health care, to nurture innovation, and to support the community involvement of Pfizer colleagues. The Pfizer Foundation provides funding and resources to local and international organizations that expand and improve global health strategies. The Pfizer Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests.

The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation

The Resource Foundation (TRF) is a U.S. nonprofit organization that helps donors support effective, locally driven development programs in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada.

Founded in 1987, TRF provides tailored advisory, consulting and grant administration assistance to corporations, individuals and foundations interested in supporting high-impact programs throughout the region. Donors rely on TRF's regional expertise, multilingual staff and knowledge of the region’s nonprofits and programs to safely and securely support projects that make a difference.

Through partnerships, technical assistance and grants to carefully vetted organizations in 28 countries,TRF fulfills its mission to empower the disadvantaged so that they can have the skills, knowledge and opportunities to improve their lives.

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