6 JUNE 2010 | FARYAB PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

 

Livestock and livestock products are the main source of income for many remote communities throughout Faryab Province.  Improving their health is of primary importance to increase prospects for licit sales growth in the northern region of Afghanistan.  However, worm parasite infections of livestock reduce fertility, weight, and milk production, leading to significant economic loss.  Additionally, access to veterinary care in rural Afghanistan is limited.

 

To eliminate intestinal parasites and improve utilization of scarce fodder over the winter, USAID’s Incentives Driving Economic Alternatives for the North, East, and West (IDEA-NEW) project supported a month-long livestock de-worming campaign.

 

Thirty local paravets (veterinary technicians who provide basic animal care) trained through USAID’s Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) in 2007, implemented the campaign.  The district governments and community development councils brought people together to have their animals de-wormed.  IDEA-NEW provided organizational oversight, financial incentives for paravets, and educational materials for participating farmers.  The U.S. Army and Dutch Committee for Afghanistan provided de-worming medicine and helped to monitor the campaign.

 

“It’s a great pleasure for us that our animals are given medicine to weaken and kill microbes every winter.  I hope most of our animals stay alive and fat after this campaign,” said Ebrahim, a farmer in Bilchiragh District of Faryab.  “I only pay one Afghani per goat or sheep to the local shura.  It is a great service and we thank all who helped us in this campaign.”

 

In total, community development councils raised 277,500 Afghanis ($4,900) from medicine administered to the livestock across the province.  Communities will use this money for additional livestock services from area paravets.

 

Working in close collaboration with the Faryab Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, U.S. Army, Dutch Committee for Afghanistan, and USAID’s ASAP, the IDEA-NEW campaign underscores the importance of combining resources to make a significant impact on communities.