Developing the Livestock Sector – Mercy Corps, Azerbaijan

In less than five years and under $600,000 of USAID funding, this program has helped over 12,000 remote rural farmers increase income by accessing sustainable and appropriate veterinary services.

Mercy Corps, with support from USAID, is implementing the Cluster Access to Business Services (CABS) program in rural Azerbaijan to help livestock owners access veterinary services to improve livestock survival rates and overall health. The program initiated clusters of livestock owners to stimulate demand for veterinary services and to make it worthwhile for veterinarians to service remote areas with curative and preventative services. The program has helped 106 veterinarians in three geographically-based networks which continuously innovate, adding new services and products to their offering. With additional, modest funding for expansion in the fourth year, results include:

• Improved access to veterinary services by 11,500 remote, rural livestock farmers, of which 36% are women.
• In total, the program-targeted farmers annually contribute more than US$13.4 million to the regional economy in sales value of meat and dairy products.
• Farmers participating in the program estimated income increases at the household level of no less than 40% annually, due to improved animal health and the related increases in productivity.

For more information, contact Alakbar Asgarov alakbar@mercycorps.az or see Mercy Corps and www.bdsknowledge.org