Project in Nepal

Empowerment of Village Women for Detection and Control of Livestock Diseases in Nepal

Timeframe: October 2016 - March 2018

Funding: USAID

Principal investigator (PI) and lead institution

Richard A. Bowen, Colorado State University

Co-PI and collaborator institutions

• Doj Raj Khanal, Private Consultant, Kathmandu
• Nepal Agricultural Research Council
• Ministry of Livestock Development
• Himalayan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Video

Results

• Innovation Summary of Diseases App

Project Plan

The fundamental objective of the project is to establish a comprehensive program for reporting and controlling livestock disease in Nepal, based on the empowerment of village women and interactions with the Department of Livestock Services. The goal is to implement a bottom-up approach to livestock disease monitoring that will effectively meld with the traditional top-down approach for disease control. Specific objectives and associated activities for this effort are:

1. Establish a rapid reporting and response network for livestock disease based on women from the communities. This approach will exploit mobile phone technology and serve multiple purposes, including the empowerment of women, estimating the burden of individual livestock diseases with an eye toward prioritizing expenditures for control, and enhancing control of livestock diseases. The response arm of the network will consist of veterinaians, para-veterinarians, and extension agents from the Department of Livestock Services; linking these two entities effectively will be key to success of the program.
2. Develop or enhance the support structures necessary for success of the rapid reporting and response networks and preparation of the next generation of producers. Key capacity development efforts that will address these issues are:
   • Organization of school-based livestock clubs for youth that will provide education in livestock disease recognition and control, production hygiene and food safety, and record keeping.
   • Implementation of effective and affordable field and laboratory testing to support diagnostic accuracy and establish the priorities for disease control.

More Information

 October 2020 research update BOWEN VGM (Virtual General Meeting)

Photo credit: R. Bowen, R. Shakya

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems is part of Feed the Future