Propcom+, in collaboration with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN), has convened key stakeholders across Nigeria’s livestock sector, in Abuja, on 8 September 2026, to drive consensus on strengthening and scaling last-mile animal health service delivery systems across the country.
The Knowledge-Sharing and Consensus-Building Workshop on Last-Mile Delivery of Animal Health Services in Nigeria brought together representatives from government institutions, development organisations, private-sector actors, veterinary professionals, and livestock sector practitioners to share lessons from existing last-mile delivery models and chart a pathway towards a harmonised, sustainable, and nationally scalable approach.
The workshop sought to:
- Share evidence and lessons from Propcom+’s Community Animal Health Worker (CAHW) model for last-mile vaccine delivery.
- Explore successful community-based animal health delivery approaches implemented by organisations including Heifer International, FAO, GIZ, GALVmed, L-PRES and others.
- Identify operational, regulatory, quality assurance and sustainability considerations necessary for effective deployment of community-based animal health services.
- Explore opportunities for collaboration, coordination and future policy engagement to support nationwide scale-up.
Participants reviewed experiences from several livestock productivity and animal health initiatives, including Propcom+’s Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW) and Veterinary Para-Professionals (VPP) model, Heifer International’s Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneur (CAVE) model, FAO’s VPP approach, and other community-based service delivery models operating across Nigeria and beyond.
The discussions highlighted the important role that trained community-based entrepreneurs and animal health workers can play in extending access to animal health products, information and services to rural and underserved livestock producers, particularly in areas where formal veterinary services remain limited.
Throughout the workshop, participants identified several priorities critical to improving livestock productivity and strengthening animal health systems in Nigeria.
One key lesson was the need to stimulate both the demand and supply sides of the animal health market. Stakeholders noted that while livestock producers require greater awareness of the benefits of preventive animal healthcare, service providers and entrepreneurs also need appropriate incentives, training and support to sustainably serve rural communities.
Participants also emphasised the importance of finding common ground among the various last-mile delivery models currently being implemented. While approaches such as CAHWs, VPPs and CAVEs have been developed by different organisations, stakeholders agreed that significant similarities exist and that greater harmonisation would support institutional adoption and national scale-up.
The workshop further underscored the importance of aligning community-based animal health service delivery with the Federal Government’s growing focus on livestock transformation and expansion. Stakeholders highlighted the opportunity to strategically position trained last-mile service providers within emerging livestock production corridors and growth clusters identified under national livestock development priorities.
Another recurring theme was the need for stronger engagement with state governments. Participants acknowledged that sustainable adoption and implementation of any harmonised model will require active support from sub-national authorities, who play a critical role in livestock sector governance and service delivery.
Discussions also examined the growing importance of sustainability, traceability and responsible sourcing within livestock value chains. With increasing demand for safe and traceable animal products, stakeholders recognised the need to strengthen record-keeping systems among livestock producers and community-based service providers.
To support this, participants proposed the development of a VCN-driven central database for livestock records and evidence generation. Such a system could improve traceability, strengthen disease surveillance, and provide valuable data to inform policy and investment decisions.
Stakeholders further agreed on the need for a harmonised competency-based training curriculum that establishes minimum standards while remaining flexible enough to accommodate state-specific contexts and production systems. This would help ensure consistency in the quality of services delivered while supporting regulatory compliance.
A related priority was the need to clearly define the roles, responsibilities and competencies of community-based animal health providers, including CAHWs and VPPs. Establishing clear definitions and standards will be essential for determining training requirements, strengthening quality assurance mechanisms, and integrating these actors into formal animal health systems.
A strong convergence of opinion emerged around the need for a harmonised last-mile animal health service delivery model that brings together the strengths of existing approaches while creating a framework for wider institutional adoption.
Stakeholders agreed that community-based animal health entrepreneurs should be formally recognised and integrated into Nigeria’s broader animal health ecosystem to improve service coverage, strengthen disease prevention efforts, and increase livestock productivity.
As a next step, Propcom+ and its partners will synthesise the insights, recommendations and lessons from the workshop into a draft standards and guidance document. The document will be shared with participants and relevant stakeholders for review and adoption.
This will be followed by a subsequent convening involving government and institutional stakeholders to define practical pathways for institutionalisation, regulatory alignment and nationwide implementation.
By fostering collaboration among government, development partners, professional bodies and private-sector actors, Propcom+ remains committed to supporting inclusive, market-driven solutions that improve livestock productivity, strengthen rural livelihoods and contribute to a more resilient and competitive livestock sector in Nigeria.
