En savoir plus sur VSFB and ILRI: Vets without Borders

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières -Belgium and the International Livestock Research Institute have teamed up to serve as a super highway between livestock research, and development activities in the field. The ’implementers’ and the ’research and developers’ have joined forces to serve the poor African livestock keeper more effectively.

"In developing countries, livestock represent an important source of high-quality food. In most cases veterinary services are non-existent, thus the danger of an epidemic is never far away. When the herd dies, so does the village."

It is this threat that has helped bring about a new and innovative partnership to improve communication between livestock farmers, animal scientists, and field veterinarians. An important goal is to increase the impact of research in developing countries.

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières-Belgium (VSFB) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) are the new partners, and Dr Bruno Minjauw, Operational Project Leader of Innovative Partnerships at ILRI has been appointed VSFB Regional Director - East Africa. Dr Minjauw will hold a joint position with ILRI and VSFB and will work closely with Dr. Els Bedert, VSFB programme support for East Africa.

ILRI and VSFB have similar and complementary missions, and both groups feel they can do a better job by working together. With ILRI’s years of experience working with the poor farmers in Africa, a unique link is available to ensure the voice of the poor is not gone unheard.

The partnership with ILRI gives VSFB a direct link to livestock research in Africa. VSF vets are on the ground working with poor farmers - having access to animal scientists with the latest knowledge and resources is going to add considerable value to their role.

The arrangement has the potential to identify VSF activities that could benefit from information, methodologies, and scientific expertise at ILRI, as well as identifying ILRI activities where VSF could play a role to increase the impact of research. What does this mean in practice? Amongst other activities, VSFB is actively involved in a programme that aims to train farmers in basic veterinary skills, and to provide communities with treatments and vaccinations for their animals. This is done through an established decentralised animal health service, whilst also training community animal health workers on how to the administer drugs.

VSFB have has clear exit strategies built into its programmes, so livestock keepers do not become dependent on them. For example, rather than offering drugs as handouts, VSF makes veterinary drugs available to farmers at affordable prices.

VSFB is part of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Europa (VSF Europa), a non-profit international association comprising eight European VSFs. Field activities are part of the VSF global programme, and the mission is to improve the well-being of vulnerable populations in developing countries by improving animal health and production. VSFB activities are mainly in three areas of Africa - the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region, and sub-Saharan countries in West Africa.