Abstract
What are the more significant broad-based needs of animal health programs in developing countries? Essentially they are: health management programs, delivery systems, disease surveillance and monitoring of livestock movements, and improved technologies that are cost-effective and environmentally sound.
Responsible program planning elicits important considerations that strengthen final results if integrated early into project design. Examples of these considerations include
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•the potential for intervention;
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•producers' requirements for animal health services;
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•present and future effect(s) of disease;
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•trends in livestock production and marketing;
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•affect of improved animal health technology on traditional production practices;
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•recurrent costs; and
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•affect of government policies on development and application of the technology.
For what reasons do some project activities need to be redirected or continually sustained with donor support? A review of the case studies reveals that five major factors critically impact on project longevity. They are 1) initial expense and recurrent costs, 2) labor required, 3) long-term effectiveness, 4) difficulty in achieving objectives, and 5) government policies or civil strife.
The U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded animal health projects for 30 years. Unlike most other bilateral projects, nearly one-third have continued for at least a decade. Given the nature of the biological cycle of livestock, animal health projects and programs require long-term commitments. USAID's investments in animal health projects continue to pay dividends despite continuously changing global political priorities and the redefining of development issues.
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Additional information
Joyce M. Turk serves as the Senior Livestock Specialist for the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Backed by 15 years' experience in USAID, she provides technical guidance to USAID contractors and grantees in the area of international animal agriculture development assistance programs. Ms. Turk's extensive overseas experience with the Agency includes positions as Agriculture Development Officer and Livestock Specialist for Missions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She is the Program Manager for the Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Support Program (SR-CRSP), Heartwater Research Project, and approximately 25 grants for livestock research sponsored by USAID's Program in Science and Technology Cooperation. Ms. Turk is a charter member of the Advisory Council for Women in Livestock Development (WiLD) sponsored by Heifer Project International. A graduate of the Ohio State and Cornell Universities, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines.
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Turk, J.M. An assessment of animal health projects: U.S. Agency for international development, 1960–93. Agric Hum Values 12, 81–89 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02217298
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02217298