Keeping livestock alive in Nigeria

InMalakyariri in north-east Nigeria, rearing and selling goats and sheep provides families with a steady supply of milk, meat and manure as well as an income, helping farmers to pay for food, school fees and health care costs.

But in a country where as many as four in ten people live below the poverty line, the cost of transporting sick animals to and from a veterinary practice, as well as paying for the treatment itself, often prevents farmers getting their animals the treatment they need.

Losing goats and sheep to illness means reduced herd sizes, while sick animals are less likely to fatten up properly, reducing the price they fetch at market. For farming families, poor animal health contributes to poverty.

With funding from the World

Food Programme, Christian Aid has trained three ‘para-vets’ to provide low-cost veterinary care in Malakyariri. The para-vets administer vaccinations, treat parasites and advise on nutrition and infection control, helping to keep valuable animals alive. As well as ongoing training, the para-vets have been provided with all the veterinary kit they need, including medicine, syringes, needles, gloves and books for record keeping,

The cost of using the para-vets is around half that at established veterinary clinics and as a doorto-door service, farmers also avoid transportation fees.

The para-vets have even shown farmers how, by using maize seeds, they can produce ‘smart’ hydroponic fodder. This is a method of growing animal feed in trays, meaning it requires less water and space to produce than traditional fodder. Using this method, farmers can on average produce up to 7kg of fodder a week, helping ensure they have animal feed all year round, irrespective of the season. Smart fodder is particularly useful for farmers whose access to land is restricted by conflict, as is the case in Malakyariri.

One of those who trained to become a para-vet is 31-yearold grocery shop owner Idris Mohammed Ali who said: ‘The service is helping the livestock to grow well and the owners are able to sell them at a good price because they are healthy. It has also reduced sudden deaths of livestock.’

As Idris explains, the paravets are also better off financially thanks to their new vocation:

‘This is now another source of income for me. I use the money to buy food for my family.’