Summary of the P3V webinar (3/5): the real needs of women and young livestock farmers and the P3V Project's response

On 26 November 2025, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), with financial support from the French Development Agency (AFD), organised a webinar on the impact and capitalisation of the ‘Professionalisation of Veterinary Paraprofessionals’  (P3V) Project. The aim of this event was to highlight the main results of the Project, the lessons learned from its implementation and the prospects for consolidating the achievements.

This article is part of a series of five contributions from this webinar, each corresponding to a presentation. Following an initial article providing a general overview of the P3V project and a second article analysing its impact and the lessons learned from its implementation, this third article focuses on analysing the real needs of livestock farmers in terms of veterinary services, with a particular focus on women and young people, particularly in Senegal and Togo.

This third article is based on the presentation given by Dr Géraud Hellow, from Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse (VSF-Switzerland), produced in collaboration with Brooke as part of their mandate under component 1 of the P3V project, dedicated to developing the institutional environment, promoting consultation between animal health stakeholders and strengthening the role of veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) within veterinary service networks.

In Togo, the methodology combined:

• a review of existing literature,
• individual surveys of 721 households in the country’s five regions,
• meetings with veterinary practice/surgeries’ managers,
• focus group discussions involving various actors in the livestock value chain.

These approaches made it possible to collect rich data reflecting the diversity of livestock farmer profiles, production systems and local constraints.

Differentiated, explicit and implicit needs

The results of the study highlight a variety of needs, influenced by several factors: geographical location, level of education, type of livestock farming and income level.

Explicit needs

Among the needs clearly expressed by livestock farmers are:

• skills development, particularly in animal health,
• proximity to Veterinary Services, in a context of sparse territorial coverage,
• access to care, particularly in emergency situations,
• the cost of veterinary care, often considered high by women and young people on low incomes.

Implicit needs

In rural areas, particularly among women with little or no schooling, certain needs emerged indirectly, as livestock farmers were unable to express their own needs. These needs relate in particular to:

• the quality of care received, given the presence of unqualified actors,
• the distinction and recognition of the roles of veterinarians, VPPs and community-based animal health workers,
• access to information and health prevention,
• the structuring of livestock farmer organisations, which is essential for communicating needs and accessing services.

Supporting communication and awareness-raising

The Project also strengthened communication and awareness-raising activities through:

• The production of visual and audio-visual materials (banners, videos, audio recordings),
• The organisation of awareness-raising road shows,
• Radio broadcasts and community meetings,

With the aim of raising awareness of the roles of VPPs, strengthening the confidence of livestock farmers and promoting more informed use of veterinary services.

Possible solutions to strengthen impact

The study highlights several areas for improvement, including:

• the integration of consultation frameworks into national public policies,
• improving the quality, availability and accessibility of vVeterinary Services,
• the structuring and legal recognition of livestock farmers’ organisations,
• strengthening networks of women and young people,
• promoting literacy and mainstreaming gender and youth issues in development policies and projects.

Conclusion

This webinar presentation highlighted the importance of placing the real needs of beneficiaries at the core of animal health interventions. By specifically taking into account the expectations of women and young livestock farmers, the P3V Project has helped to strengthen the relevance, equity and effectiveness of Veterinary Services in Senegal and Togo.

The lessons learned from this analysis provide an essential foundation for reflecting on how to sustain achievements and capitalise on experiences, which will be the subject of the fourth article in this series, devoted to capitalisation tools and their role in the sustainability of the P3V Project.