Healthy livestock is the backbone of income for thousands of smallholder farmers, especially women. Yet, this reality is often threatened by limited access to vaccines, veterinary services, and practical knowledge on livestock management. El-Beth Agro-Vet Services Ltd, in partnership with UK-Aid-funded Propcom+, is working to close this gap.
From 11–20 December 2025, El-Beth delivered an intensive capacity-building program across 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bauchi State, reaching 6,000 smallholder farmers, with a strong focus on women. The training emphasised good livestock management practices, including:
- Timely vaccination and basic biosecurity
- Tracking bird numbers: owned, vaccinated, sold, or lost
- Maintaining simple treatment and veterinary records
- Viewing livestock as a business, not just animals
To make this practical, farmers received record and treatment cards, enabling them to monitor performance and make informed decisions.
“Before now, I just kept birds and hoped for the best. Now I know when to vaccinate, how many I have, and whether I’m really making a profit.”
— Zakiya Sanusi, livestock farmer
“I used to lose birds without knowing why. Now I understand disease prevention and can keep proper records. It has changed how I run my farm.”
— Umar Faruk, livestock farmer
The training was delivered in LGAs including Ningi, Ganjuwa, Alkaleri, Bauchi, Darazo, Katagum, Toro, Warji, Tafawa Balewa, and Gamawa, using El-Beth’s field staff alongside Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs). This last-mile approach ensured farmers were reached within their own communities, overcoming long-standing barriers to access.
This initiative reflects a shared vision between Propcom+ and El-Beth Agro-Vet Services Ltd: expanding access to quality vaccines and veterinary products for rural smallholder farmers. By strengthening distribution channels through CAHWs and Veterinary Paraprofessionals (VPPs), the partnership is improving the availability, affordability, and reliability of essential livestock health products.
Crucially, access is paired with knowledge, ensuring farmers not only receive vaccines but also understand how and when to use them, and how to track results.
By combining last-mile delivery with hands-on training and simple record-keeping tools, this program is doing more than improving animal health. It is:
- Strengthening farmers’ resilience
- Increasing household incomes, especially for women
- Supporting rural entrepreneurship
- Contributing to long-term agricultural sustainability
As El-Beth and Propcom+ continue to scale, thousands more farmers will be equipped to protect their livestock, run their farms as businesses, and build secure livelihoods, one healthy flock at a time.
