REGIONAL MEETING: FMDV IN AMERICA
First joint virtual meeting
The control of foot-and-mouth disease in America
from risk analysis to vaccine banks
10 March 2021 | 12:00-15:30 USA EST / 14:00-17:30 ART / 18:00-21.30 CET
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Sustainable Business through Training for
Veterinary Paraprofessionals (VPP)
The critical role played by Veterinary Paraprofessionals in delivering essential animal health services for smallholder farmers (SHFs) requires up-to-date technical competences and the development of enabling business environments for the provision of quality services and supplies. In key geographies of Africa there is the need to improve Veterinary Paraprofessionals technical and business skills and to support the establishment of efficient and profitable livestock value chain with benefits to all stakeholders at national levels.
Partners
The approach
Our approach aims to reinforce veterinary service provision systems through improved capacity of Veterinary Paraprofessionals to deliver animal health services, as well as address some of the historic challenges propagating Veterinary Paraprofessional business instability and overreliance on public initiatives. This approach aims to deliver and evaluate a model for sustainable Veterinary Paraprofessionals in which competency acquisition is a gateway to recognition and increases access to new business opportunities in the last mile delivery of animal health services.
This model will be piloted in Uganda, South Africa and Nigeria.
Gender-sensitive programming is an essential part of our model. Women make up 60% of poor smallholder livestock farmers and are therefore a key target group for last mile animal health services. Women veterinary paraprofessionals are a critical channel to reach women smallholder farmers.
The key outcomes of this initiative include:
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Establishment of a national recognition system of trained and upskilled veterinary paraprofessionals and provision of tools to maintain the recognition by national statutory or other national bodies;
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Enhanced employment and business opportunities for trained veterinary paraprofessionals and access to distribution channels for quality veterinary vaccines and other veterinary medical products;
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Stronger community awareness, engagement and brand recognition by the private and public sectors of certified veterinary paraprofessionals in the provision of animal health services to SHFs.
Overall scope
The model is structured around three key pillars.
Find out more: The three key pillars
Lessons Learned
Throughout project implementation lessons learned will be compiled and shared here. The initial lessons learned draw on background research conducted by the project team and going forwards will document lessons drawn from the implementation of activities. The focus is on both (i) disseminating baseline data and information about the veterinary paraprofessional profession, and (ii) methodological best practices for capacity building of veterinary paraprofessionals and improved last mile animal health services.
Lesson learned no.2 - Virtual learning strategies for veterinary paraprofessionals
Lesson learned no.3 - Gender animal health and Information Communication Technology (coming soon)
