• What does the program offer?

This program currently provides basic training in animal husbandry and animal health for local Bedouin.  Following further community-based needs assessments, it will expand into standardized training for para-veterinarian professionals.  Development of a mobile system to deliver sustainable veterinary services, including veterinary pharmaceutical sales and pregnancy ultrasound diagnostics, is on-going.  These services will include a limited selection of basic pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, dewormers, and nutritional supplements), along with basic diagnostic services (infectious agent test kits, eggs-per-gram fecal counts for intestinal parasites, subclinical mastitis testing in milk) which will provide livelihoods for paravets.  Currently, ultrasound pregnancy diagnostics are the highest demanded service, which allow Bedouin farmers to better manage their breeding practices and milk production.

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  What is the program for

This program builds sustainable veterinary infrastructure where none has existed in the past.  Bedouin livelihoods closely depend on sheep, goats, and camels.  For most, livestock are considered “life stock.”  Animal health and production suffers because veterinary clinics, veterinary pharmacies, and agricultural stores do not exist in the Wadi Rum area.  Trained veterinary personnel (veterinarians, paravets or technicians) do not exist.  Most livestock owners have insufficient access to veterinary services and many animal husbandry practices need improvement.