USAID DEC
The veterinary medicine program in Ethiopia focuses on improving animal health and productivity in rural areas.
162 pages

Abstract
The program began in 2015 with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Initial assessments conducted in the Amhara and Oromia regions identified key challenges, including limited access to veterinary services and inadequate disease surveillance. Implementation focused on three key interventions: strengthening veterinary infrastructure, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing animal health services. The program established 25 new veterinary clinics in rural areas, increasing access to veterinary care for over 1 million livestock owners. Additionally, the program trained more than 500 veterinarians and veterinary technicians in disease surveillance and control. Community feedback indicated strong adoption of improved animal health practices, including vaccination and parasite control. Women-headed households, representing 30% of participants, showed higher adoption rates for all practices except vaccination. The program also established a network of community-based animal health workers, who provided basic veterinary care and disease surveillance in rural areas. Midterm evaluation revealed a 25% increase in livestock productivity among program participants compared to the control group. Disease surveillance indicators improved across all target areas, with greatest gains in areas where both veterinary infrastructure and disease surveillance interventions were combined. The program also reported a significant reduction in animal mortality rates, particularly among small ruminants. The program's geographic focus is on the Amhara and Oromia regions, which account for over 50% of Ethiopia's livestock population. The program's timeframes spanned from 2015 to 2022, with a total budget of $50 million. The program's recommendations include scaling up the veterinary infrastructure and disease surveillance interventions to other regions, as well as strengthening partnerships with local governments and private sector stakeholders to sustain program impacts.
Classification
USAID DEC