Veterinary Field Units & Services
Strengthening Community-Based Veterinary Services Across Afghanistan
Improving Livestock Health and Livelihoods
Veterinary Field Units (VFUs) form the backbone of DCA’s livestock support system at the community level. Through long-standing presence and collaboration with local leaders and customary institutions, DCA has built strong trust, access, and reach within districts and villages across Afghanistan.
With more than 1,559 VFUs operating nationwide, DCA enables effective delivery of veterinary and livestock-related interventions. In addition, over 3,000 trained male and female Basic Veterinary Workers provide essential services to farmers, pastoralists, and women poultry farmers at small-scale levels.
What Is a VFU?
Each VFU is equipped with:
- Veterinary kits, vaccines, and medicines
- A solar-powered cold chain system
- A motorbike for field mobility
- Furniture, cattle crush, and official signboard
Geographic Coverage
Between 2014 and 2018, DCA supported livestock owners in 30 out of 34 provinces, achieving near nationwide coverage.
Since then, the operational scope has been reduced to 19 provinces due to the conclusion of two large-scale projects.
VFUs in Present
Since 2020, DCA has directly supported 600 VFUs across Afghanistan.
An additional 200 VFUs are supported by partner organizations, including:
Relief International
MADERA
Aga Khan Foundation
Afghanistan Veterinary Association
Technical Support to VFUs
Newly established VFUs receive structured technical support for one to two years to ensure successful integration within their communities.
- In-kind provision of medicines and vaccines during the first year
- Monthly visits by DCA facilitators for guidance and coaching
- Collection of vaccination and treatment data
- Field visits to livestock owners served by the VFU
Facilitators also identify training needs and recommend refresher courses. DCA provides a diverse range of 1–2 week refresher trainings to strengthen technical skills and expand service offerings.
One Unified VFU Logo
To ensure national recognition and consistent branding, a universal VFU logo was introduced in 2008.
This logo replaced regional NGO branding and supports unified identification and visibility of VFUs across Afghanistan.
Selection of VFU Locations
VFU locations are selected based on:
- Local livestock population density
- Existing VFU coverage
- A minimum distance of 15 kilometers between neighboring VFUs
- An average service capacity of 25,000 livestock heads per VFU
VFUs are ideally located in district centers, village clusters, near livestock markets, or along Kuchi migration routes, including seasonal summer and winter settlement areas.