Across the Global South, the livestock sector provides more than meat, milk and eggs. It underpins rural communities by providing income, nutrition, and resources for 600 million families, while also acting as a vital safety net during climate or market shocks.
Cows, goats, sheep and chickens, therefore, are not only a source of food, fuel and fiber, they are also a cornerstone of household resilience.
Yet, despite being responsible for the majority of the world’s animals, small-scale producers and pastoralists remain the least equipped with the veterinary services, products, and training needed to ensure good animal health and sustainable production.
Healthy animals are the foundation of a thriving livestock sector. They produce more meat, milk and eggs, with less feed, land, water and medicines, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% while improving food security and nutrition
But to optimize animal health, and also, therefore, livelihoods and resilience, millions of rural households need access to pragmatic veterinary tools and training.
In many rural areas, farmers can lose valuable livestock because professional veterinary care is several hours away. Community-led approaches delivered through trained local animal health workers are essential to help farmers strengthen animal welfare and build lasting resilience within their communities.
Drawing on our work in the field, we at Heifer know that the most powerful way to advance both animal and human well-being is through a One Health approach that strengthens the links between veterinary services, human and environmental systems.
In practice, this means equipping farmers and local animal health workers on the frontline with the tools to manage the risks associated with zoonotic or cross-species diseases, improve biosecurity and respond to climate change, protecting livelihoods and long-term environmental health.
Investing in initiatives that strengthen the capacity of farmers and community animal health workers is essential for ensuring animal health and the sustainability of livestock systems.
In Asia, for example, the Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneurs (CAVEs) programme trains local veterinary technicians to provide vital services such as vaccinations, first-aid treatment, and animal husbandry advice for smallholder farmers in rural and remote areas by developing entrepreneurial skills of CAVEs for sustainable and long-term solution.
In Nepal, this approach has empowered farmers like Radha Amatya, who opened her own agro-vet shop after joining the program. Her business now provides her community with accessible animal health services, feed, and medicines that improve livestock productivity and household incomes.
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In Zambia, community agro-vet entrepreneurs carried out mass vaccinations and deworming campaigns, resulting in chicken mortality from Newcastle disease dropping from around 60 per cent to less than five per cent.
These outcomes translate livelihood protection into healthy herds and healthy people, demonstrating how multi-dimensional programs that combine veterinary care, nutrition and biosecurity with climate-smart practices create measurable progress toward the goals of sustainable livestock transformation.
The recent Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation saw global leaders, governments, farmers, researchers and private-sector actors convene to renew pledges to strengthen animal health and sustainability through innovation and inclusion.
The emphasis shifted from dialogue to action, with a focus on driving change and scaling innovations. As FAO Director-General QU Dongyu encouraged delegates to remember, “We have all the tools in the toolbox to turn these challenges into opportunities, and opportunities into real action.” Many of those tools already exist within communities, where smallholder farmers and community animal health workers are improving animal well-being and building stronger, more resilient livelihoods.
For instance, the FAO also recognized the work of Heifer Honduras, led by program manager Carlos Tabora, for their efforts to help thousands of farming families transition from traditional grazing to climate-smart silvopastoral systems in the smallholder dairy production systems.
The initiative, which included educational sessions on animal nutrition, pasture management, reproduction and herd health, has cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 30% while increasing net household income by 35%. Its success is now being replicated across six additional departments in Honduras, with expansion planned to Guatemala and Mexico by 2026. The project demonstrates that science-based livestock solutions are ready to scale globally.
Scaling such initiatives globally would unlock transformative benefits for farmers, their communities, and livestock alike. For people, healthier animals mean increased access to nutritious animal-source foods, vital for healthy growth and development. For the environment, it means protecting and restoring ecosystems such as rangelands that support both livelihoods and biodiversity.
Heifer International stands ready to work with governments, donors and partners to expand these locally led One Health programs that protect animals, people and ecosystems alike. The future of sustainable livestock depends on healthy animals and on the farmers whose care for them sustains communities around the world.
Dilip Bhandari is senior director of programs for Heifer International.