Abstract/Description

The health, production and yield of cattle owned by pastoralists in northern Kenya have improved so much that communities no longer list poor animal health as a major problem. The veterinary training for pastoralists follows the successful scheme...

Notes

The health, production and yield of cattle owned by pastoralists in northern Kenya have improved so much that communities no longer list poor animal health as a major problem.
The veterinary training for pastoralists follows the successful scheme which the Intermediate Technology Development Group has been running for small-scale farmers in different regions of Kenya (see Spore 57 p 10). In this project, a community or village selects a farmer or other person to be trained in simple veterinary skills by ITDG. The trained person then acts as a veterinary adviser and is available to treat sick animals in their village. He or she is supplied with a pack of the more commonly used drugs, which farmers pay for as they are used.
ITDG realized that unlike the small-scale farmers who are sedentary, it was not going to be possible to serve pastoralists in the same way Training one person to cover just one community was not appropriate. Instead, a person from a large pastoral community is trained and encouraged to give advice to any smaller herd owners in their vicinity who seek help. Again, ITDG's packs of the more commonly used drugs have been distributed to communities that want them. Smaller herders will have their own box of drugs which they use on the advice from the trained 'veterinarian'. ITDG pays for the first box of drugs sup plied, but as they are used herders meet the cost of replacements by selling goats and sheep to finance the cost.
The project has been so successful that neighbouring communities, some in adjacent countries, are now requesting that a similar
scheme be set up in their areas.
IT Kenya
PO Box 39493
Nairobi
KENYA