Smallholder livestock farmers perception about veterinary para-professionals service delivery in Soroti and Sembabule districts

Abstract

This study assessed the Smallholder livestock farmer perception about the Veterinary paraprofessional service delivery in Soroti and Sembabule districts. The objectives of the study were to assess the services demanded by smallholder livestock farmers from VPPs in Soroti and Sembabule Districts, analyze farming practices, and how they affected the demand for services delivery from VPPs by smallholder livestock farmers and assess the gender roles in the Smallholder farming households about service delivery by VPPs in Soroti and Sembabule. This was an exploratory study design utilizing mainly qualitative methods of data collection, involving mainly Participatory Rural Appraisal. The sample size comprised sixty-three (63) primary respondents who were smallholder livestock farmers and thirteen (10) key informants. Qualitative data was collected using Key informant interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions, all guided by the checklist tools. Data was analyzed thematically using major themes from specific objectives. The main themes were treatment, vaccination and farmer advisory services under animal services demanded by smallholder livestock farmers from VPPs while tethering, fencing and communal grazing were under the livestock farming practices and the study also noted that male VPPs were most preferred than females in Soroti and Sembabule districts under gender roles. It was concluded that most smallholder livestock farmers preferred treatment compared to preventive services delivered by VPPs, gender constraints of age and sex played a big role in affecting the delivery of animal services. The study therefore recommends Government continuous sensitization of smallholder livestock farmers on the benefits of engaging professional VPPs to discourage them from engaging the quacks. The need for gender sensitization to break the prevailing gender stereotypes against female VPPs is much desired.