45 Vet. Paraprofessionals graduated by DCA-LP through the financial support of IFAD to support 540,000 animals Annually

The Rural Poor Stimulus facility (RPSF) and Crisis Response Initiatives (CRI) projects are financed by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in response to the impacts of COVID-19 and the Ukraine Russia war to the Afghan pastoralists respectively. Implemented by Dutch Committee for Afghanistan-Livestock Programs (DCA) in 10 (RPSF) and 15 (CRI) provinces of Afghanistan, one of the activities of the projects is training 45 veterinary paraprofessionals for 6 months so they can deliver services for the pastoralists based on a fee. The graduated VPPs deliver veterinary and livestock extension services to 22,500 households (500 households each) and 540,000 animals (12,000 animals each) in their own pastoralist communities per year.

The paraprofessionals (VPPs) were selected from 15 different provinces, 45 rural districts and villages based on the specific selection criteria such as educational background and communities’ trust. Then they received intensive theoretical and practical training for six months in the Charikar and Herat Veterinary Training and Support Centers (VTSCs). In addition, the simple VFU buildings were already built and constructed for each individual VPP in their own villages. Each of them was equipped by standard veterinary and logistical kits which includes but not limited to motorbikes, solar refrigerators, vaccination, treatment, and castration equipment necessary for Veterinary Field Units (VFUs).

The graduation ceremonies were held in Kabul and Herat provinces with the participation of several stakeholders. The participants from the government side include MAIL-Deputy Minister, General Director of Animal Health and Production, Livestock Director, MAIL-Policy and Planning Director, NGOs Director (Ministry of Economy), Provincial Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Directors of 10 provinces, Provincial Economy Directors of 4 provinces, and Herat Public Health Department. Furthermore, deans and professors of Kabul and Herat Universities (Veterinary Science Faculties) took part in the ceremony. Additionally, 3 local and international NGOs (DAI, DACCAR, and AVA), farmers and Maliks were parts of the graduation conference.  DCA senior management, relevant central and provincial staff, and graduated PVs were leading the graduation ceremony.

PVs Graduation Ceremony, July 10, 2023, Kabul

The Dutch Committee for Afghanistan (DCA) is the initiator and founder of the veterinary field units (VFUs) model, which is a sustainable, self-reliant, and successful approach throughout Afghanistan.  Currently, over 1,400 private VFUs are active and run by veterinary paraprofessionals delivering quality animal health and livestock services for a fee.

PVs Graduation Ceremony, July 06, 2023, Herat