An assessment of animal health projects: U.S. Agency for international development, 1960–93

What are the more significant broad-based needs of animal health programs in developing countries? Essentially they are: health management programs, delivery systems, disease surveillance and monitoring of livestock movements, and improved technologies that are cost-effective and environmentally sound. Responsible program planning elicits important considerations that strengthen final results if integrated early into project design. Examples of these considerations include •the potential for intervention; •producers' requirements for animal health services; •present and future effect(s) of disease; •trends in livestock production and marketing; •affect of improved animal health technology on traditional production practices; •recurrent costs; and •affect of government policies on development and application of the technology. For what reasons do some project activities need to be redirected or continually sustained with donor support? A review of the case studies reveals that five major factors critically impact on project longevity. They are 1) initial expense and recurrent costs, 2) labor required, 3) long-term effectiveness, 4) difficulty in achieving objectives, and 5) government policies or civil strife. The U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded animal health projects for 30 years. Unlike most other bilateral projects, nearly one-third have continued for at least a decade. Given the nature of the biological cycle of livestock, animal health projects and programs require long-term commitments. USAID's investments in animal health projects continue to pay dividends despite continuously changing global political priorities and the redefining of development issues. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1995