ABOUT DCA

DCA is a non-profit humanitarian and livelihoods organisation implementing livestock health, extension and outreach, market systems development, and public-private partnership along the value chains of the livestock production. The COVID-19 pandemic, drought, and change of government caused protracted and complex food insecurity and malnutrition, loss of livelihoods assets (mainly livestock), damage to the public health, displacement, and conflict in 2021. Around 60-70% of the livestock owned by pastoralists died due to the recent drought; and more than 5 million people fled their homes. With the current political turmoil, the harsh winters, and cash liquidity blended with the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences are worse and carried on to the next generation, mainly to the marginalized communities such as women, girls, elderly, children, disabled, IDPs, and host communities. An estimated 80% of the Afghan population is involved in agriculture & livestock, and livestock contributes 15% to Afghanistan’s GDP. Many livestock owners live at near subsistence level and any increase in the health and production of their animals translates directly into real and significant improvements in their household economy, job creation, and food security. DCA is one of the largest, and considered by many, most effective NGOs working in Afghanistan’s livestock sector in terms of background, experience, expertise, geographic coverage, and outreach. DCA has developed a nationwide network of Veterinary Field Units (VFUs), thus all livestock owners including pastoralists have access to qualified and affordable animal health services. The results are exciting: reduction of livestock mortality and morbidity, increase in animal production, and improvement in household livelihood. And we succeed in generating 5 USD in return for every 1 USD invested. This successful and sustainable model can be used to access and reach marginalized communities to improve food and nutrition security, building resilience, and market systems development more easily.