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Community Animal Health Voluntary Services in Indonesia (CAHVI) (2001-2005)
22-0806-03

Heifer Indonesia trained 240 male and female farmers to be community animal health volunteers (CAHVI) in their communities in five provinces in Sumatra. In addition to providing basic animal health services for their community they will also assist the communities to plan livestock activities such as mass-dewormings or vaccinations.

This project will:

• Train 240 male and female farmers in 120 villages in basic animal health knowledge and skills.

• Enable 120 communities to develop their own livestock plans by involving them in participatory needs assessment, monitoring, and self-evaluation.

• Increase animal production in 120 villages in five provinces in Sumatra by promoting animal health care and management to both the community organizations and the wider community.

Heifer Indonesia is the project holder.

Many farmers in Sumatra keep beef cattle, water buffalo, goats and poultry. Swine are raised by non-Muslim ethnic groups in North Sumatra, and the Mentawai and Nias Islands. Unfortunately, local animal health services are very limited. The 61 animal health posts on the island would have to cover an average of 8000 km² (or about a 55 mile x 55 mile area) and about 16,000 farm families! What little that is available in animal health services is usually not accessible to poor rural farmers. These services usually only available to farmers living around the subdistrict capital or wealthier farmers.

The training will be village-based using principles of learner-centered education. Active women’s participation will be promoted by choosing one male and one female CAHVIs per CO. By 2005, about 240 CAHVIS from 120 village in five Sumatran provinces will have been trained. A minimum of twelve NGO partners will be involved in this project. An average of two new groups will be trained each year. Each group will be trained for a total of eight days, consisting of two separate four-day trainings. Additionally, a 2-3 day refresher course will be held to reinforce and update their knowledge and skills.

The CAHVIs will service their communities by providing basic veterinary care, prevention, and animal management assistance to farmers. The CAHVIs will share their experiences during the annual Sumatra-wide meeting for the NGOs and some progressive CAHVIs. Some CAHVIs will co-facilitate new CAHVI trainings.

Heifer Indonesia will be the main supporter of this program, but will try to link with animal drug companies and large livestock production enterprises to provide supplies, technical services, and other support.

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