Our Experimental Huts Station

The Semi-Field Station at AIRID, located in Covè, Benin (📍 7.2164° N, 2.3408° E), is a world-class research platform that simulates real-life environmental conditions while maintaining the experimental control needed for rigorous scientific evaluation. Set in a vast rice-growing region with high mosquito density, this station enables semi-field trials of vector control tools under realistic ecological and household conditions.

It is a critical testing ground for interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), spatial repellents, and attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs). All studies are conducted in compliance with WHO protocols and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards.

AIRID's Semi-Field Station includes:

• 84 experimental huts built to WHO standards (72 West African style, 12 Open Eave style)
• Mosquito release chambers for controlled release-recapture studies
• A fully equipped weather station for real-time measurement of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall
• On-site data and specimen processing labs for immediate analysis
• Backup power systems to ensure continuous environmental control and data recording

By bridging the gap between lab and field, AIRID's Semi-Field Station delivers high-quality evidence on how tools perform in real-world African settings. This evidence is critical to:

• Inform national malaria control strategies
• Support product registration and WHO prequalification
• Guide donor and government investments in effective interventions

As a cornerstone of AIRID's research infrastructure, the Semi-Field Station reflects our commitment to African-led, evidence-based innovation in the fight against malaria and vector-borne diseases.