HEARD (Health of Ethiopian Animals for Rural Development)

Overview

EU11th EDF – NIP ETH – FED/2015/038-008 (Euro 15 million)
Operational implementation 2019-2022

HEARD – a new EU program to strengthen animal health services involving public and private sectors
The HEARD program aims to increase sustainable livestock productivity and improve the marketing of livestock products through enhancing quality and reliability of integrated public and private veterinary service delivery. Performance of the veterinary service will be strengthened to improve data gathering, analysis and strategic animal health interventions by both public and private sectors. Capacity development for different stakeholders involved in animal health service delivery is at the heart of the program.

Rationale:

With the largest livestock population in Africa (59.5 million cattle, 29.5 million sheep, 30.2 million goats, 8 million equines, 1.2 million camels and 49 million poultry), livestock are extremely important for economic development, food and nutrition security, and poverty reduction in Ethiopia.

Technical, institutional, infrastructural, environmental and policy challenges in the veterinary sector are a key constraint for livestock development. The veterinary services require enormous improvement in terms of regulatory support, technical back up and institutional capacities at different levels in order to reduce losses attributed to diseases and enhance production, productivity and quality of livestock derived products. The national animal health strategy aims to provide animal health, public health and food safety as well as welfare services which comply with international standards and contribute to the achievement of food security, poverty alleviation and socio economic growth.

The HEARD Program builds on the experiences and lessons gained from the implementation of the completed 10th EDF LVC-PPD project (2010 to 2015) and the EC SHARE funded FAO project: FED/2014/316-779 ”Pursuing Pastoralist Resilience (PPR), and also wider consultation of all concerned stakeholders in the livestock sector. HEARDS aims to enhance the quality and quantity of integrated veterinary services delivery and strengthening animal health and through its activities directly contributes to the implementation of the Government Livestock Master Plan (LMP), as well as the livestock development targets in the Government Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II – 2016 to 2020).

The HEARD program is organized into 3 result components:

• Result 1: the quality of public and private veterinary services is strengthened and delivery optimised (through the creation of an enabled and rationalised environment). This component of the program is implemented through 3 regional grants (Somali regional, Amhara and Oromia) with support of the Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MoALR)
• Result 2: technical competences (knowledge, skills and attitude) and incentives for veterinary service providers is improved to deliver better and rationalised services. This component is jointly implemented by the International Livestock Research Institute and the Ethiopian Veterinary Association and provides guidance on setting up public private partnerships and provides capacity development for veterinary professionals at different levels.
• Result 3: Food safety of primary products of animal origin is improved and better control of zoonotic diseases achieved. This component is led by MoALR and focuses on meat inspection and improved food safety along the livestock value chains.

With the planned activities in the 3 result components, HEARD will add value to the livestock sector development. Efforts to improve performance of veterinary services build on OIE PVS evaluation and gap assessment and include implementing and strengthening the Livestock identification and traceability system (LITS), developing meat inspection trainings, establishment of a veterinary statutory body, establishing a continued professional development program for veterinary professionals, develop and pilot test novel models of public private partnerships to roll out the Veterinary Services Rationalisation Road Map, and implementing animal welfare standards.
Strengthening of LITS will add values to enhance the export of livestock and livestock products. This will be done through up scaling the database of the system and by encouraging of traders to implement the system. On the other hand, designing curriculum for meat inspection course and provision of training in higher education will help to produce certified and competent meat inspectors. Furthermore, supporting export abattoir certification through developing meat inspection course and provision of training provides safe and quality livestock and livestock products for local and export markets. This will in turn ensures acceptance and trust among local consumers and countries importing Ethiopian livestock products.
The establishment of a veterinary statutory body coupled with a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program for veterinary professionals and updating veterinary curricula, will enable development of a corps of competent professionals for the delivery of private and public animal health services. HEARD supports targeted capacity development in business skills and developing guidance on public-private partnerships for animal health service delivery.
HEARD Implementing partners and stakeholders:
The overall implementation of the HEARD program is coordinated by the Livestock State Ministry of MoALR.

The implementing partners are:

• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources -MoALR (Result 1 and 3);
• The International Livestock Research Institute and the Ethiopian Veterinary Association (Result 2).
• Oromia National Region state Bureau of Livestock and Fisheries Development (Result 1).
• Amhara National Regional State Livestock Resource Development and Promotion Agency (Result 1).
• The Somali National Regional state Somali Livestock and Pastoralists Development Bureau (Result 1)

Strategic partners are:

•  The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA),
• National Universities, Ministry of Trade (MoT), private sector (livestock and livestock product producers, processor and exporter associations), veterinary and para-veterinary associations, CAHWs
• The World Animal Health Organization (OIE)
• Other actors in the livestock sector: NCSO’s/NGOs, DPs: USAID, FAO, WB, and UNDP including members of the RED&FS platform