Emergency Support to improve resilience of pastoralists affected by recurrent drought (Project HRF NOGOB JARAR)

Background

Project:

Animal health support is a core livelihood-based intervention in pastoral areas considering the huge production losses caused by widespread livestock mortality throughout the year and especially during drought events. . . Animal health interventions bring immediate and substantial benefits to pastoralists by preserving their main livelihood asset, which is their livestock. According to the impact assessment report of VSF-Suisse in 2013, redistribution of milking goats to drought affected households targeting malnourished children under the age of 5, has been proven to be very successful in sustainably addressing malnutrition.
The project targets food insecure and vulnerable households and aims at increasing the availability of animal proteins. The households’ diet is diversified by introducing milking goats and therefore improving access to goat milk. Community members can increase their income by selling their livestock and thereby support the local markets with cash injections. Moreover, household assets increase as the milking goats will further reproduce.
The VSF-Suisse’s project intervention also involves the provision of veterinary services to livestock producers in targeted areas through a voucher scheme. By training veterinary auxiliaires and distributing treatment and medication vouchers, the local animal health system is strengthened. Community based animal health workers (CAHWs) play a pivotal role in reducing morbidity and mortality of the herds, and VSF-Suisse provides them with basic veterinary kits and drug supply.The livestock drugs voucher distribution ensures the protection of the key livestock assets required for early recovery after eventual drought events.