NESTLER is a joint project between the EU and African member states designed to promote One-Health sustainable partnership. The project aims to bring together interdisciplinary technological advances to effectively monitor the well-being of animals, plants, and humans in a holistic approach. The complementarity between the stakeholders is extended upon the ongoing initiatives from FARM2FORK strategies that have resulted in integrated software systems and solutions.
The novelty of the NESTLER project lies in the development and integration of advanced technologies. The NESTLER platform develops software interfaces for ingesting satellite data sources along with video streams captured from unmanned aerial vehicles and other IoT devices installed for monitoring the environmental and animal well-being. The large-volume of data ingested into the platform is subjected to additional processing for the extraction of intuitive insights with the assistance of ML and AI algorithms. Remote sensing technologies and GIS systems are developed to conduct environmental surveillance on large-scale areas. The extracted insights are translated into predictive models affecting One-Health sustainability program.
NESTLER also undertakes research activities to investigate the impact of insect protein on the circular economy for the well-being of animals. Moreover, methodologies are developed for edible insect farming to feed farmed animals. Research studies are conducted on the impact of animal waste in crop-based farming. In complementary to the analysis of health benefits, the project evaluates the economic sustainability of such farming practices which lead to the setup to joint EU-Africa joint task force on One- Health Sustainability.
Additionally, the project end will also implement GIS services to enable detection and mapping of predictive epidemiological outbreaks, resulting from interspecies interactions. Many zoonotic diseases are driven by complex ecological interactions, often intensified by climate change, habitat loss, and growing human–wildlife contact. NESTLER aims to deliver advanced technological solutions to monitor interspecies interactions, manage zoonotic disease outbreaks, and generate detailed epidemiological reports.
NESTLER pilot activities are being implemented across six African member states — Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. The project’s outcomes support the transition from a linear to a circular economy by promoting sustainable growth, efficient resource use, and environmentally responsible production practices. Through innovations, NESTLER contributes to building resilient and climate-neutral agri-food systems across Africa and the EU.