Animal diseases exert multi-sectoral effects. Consequently, the strengthening of systemic capacities for the control of livestock trade limiting animal diseases requires an inclusive and multi-sectoral approach. Veterinary services provide the leadership in technical matters and related policy guidance but the control interventions involve many players in the public and private sectors. This project thus involves and has a wide cross-section of beneficiaries as follows:

Pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and other livestock dependent households: Livestock owners and keepers are the most important source of information on livestock diseases and the primary actors in the implementation of disease control strategies. They are also the most affected by disease outbreaks due to loss of their livelihood assets. Their involvement ensures access to livestock for disease surveillance and control interventions. The project is also empowering livestock producers through improved access to relevant information and knowledge, to better articulate their requirements to enable service providers to meet their needs. The successful implementation of strategies to control key diseases will protect their productive and livelihood assets, improve their access to markets with resultant assurance of incomes and enhanced resilience to shocks.

Line Ministries responsible for livestock development and their personnel are responsible for the formulation of sectoral policies, strategies, legal and regulatory frameworks as well as ensuring effective delivery of animal health services. They also have the mandate for planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of sectoral interventions including the involvement of private sector and civil society actors. However, the Ministries lack sufficient funding to fulfil their mandates and to engage private sector animal health service providers in partnerships for improved service delivery. The project is supporting the line Ministries to engage the Livestock Professional Associations in a more structured way to enhance the delivery and outreach of animal health services.

Veterinary Regulatory Boards and their members are responsible for the regulation of the delivery and performance of Veterinary services and related inputs. However, the Veterinary Boards in Somaliland and Puntland have insufficient skills and resources to carry out regulatory functions. The project is providing training, financial and logistical support to enable these Boards to implement their regulatory functions. In Central/South Somalia, the Veterinary Board has not yet been established due to the state of conflict that hinders the establishment of functional public sector institutions under the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS). The project is providing support to the FGS Ministry of Livestock, forestry and Range to review and modernize the existing draft Veterinary code and to advocate for its enactment by Parliament. Subsequent support will be provided for the establishment and operations of a Veterinary Board under the FGS.

The Livestock Professionals’ Associations lead the private sector inputs in animal health interventions. The project encourages and facilitates the Livestock Ministries to contract private veterinary service providers through the Associations and provides technical, financial and logistical support to facilitate closer interactions between the Associations, the line ministries and target communities to enhance the delivery of animal health services.

Local authorities, Community leaders and Elders play a key role in the day-to-day decision-making processes of rural Somali communities. Their involvement in the project enhances community understanding and participation in animal disease surveillance, reporting and control activities. Access to information by these beneficiaries will support informed decision making on interventions that affect their communities.

Livestock market and market chain operators are key players in the compliance with regulatory requirements for the safe trade in livestock commodities and have a role in providing information on the presence of trade limiting livestock diseases in different areas. The control of Livestock diseases will enhance trade in livestock with positive impacts on their incomes and livelihoods. They will benefit from information, awareness and understanding of the key livestock diseases and other sanitary requirements that are likely to interrupt trade in livestock commodities.

Municipal/Town Council authorities and their staff are responsible for the management of markets within their jurisdictions. The Councils benefit from market fees and other levies and taxes on traded livestock. These revenues are utilised in the provision of social services and the payment of staff salaries. Improvements in animal health that result in more livestock trade will improve their income streams.

Private livestock input suppliers market their products to derive profits to sustain their businesses and livelihoods. Improved animal health systems will stimulate increased demand for livestock inputs thus benefitting the private livestock input suppliers.

Chambers of Commerce and their members rely largely on the export of livestock to the Gulf markets to drive the imports of other goods and commodities for profitable domestic trade. They need healthy animals to sustain the incomes from livestock exports. They will benefit from enhanced incomes from Livestock exports that are expected to result from improvements in the operational Environment for animal health services delivery. The information from Livestock disease surveillance and improved disease control will assist the Chambers of Commerce to negotiate better terms of trade for exported Somali Livestock in relation to the import of cereals and other essential food commodities.

Domestic consumers will indirectly benefit from the positive impacts on public health resulting from the improved control of Livestock diseases, particularly zoonoses. The expected reduction in the incidence of these diseases will enhance the safety of livestock products in the domestic markets.

Consumers in importing countries need assurances on the quality and sanitary safety of livestock and livestock products imported from Somalia. They will benefit from the enhanced sanitary safety of exported Somali livestock and Livestock products and a predictable supply of the commodities in their markets.