The principal factors inhibiting the effective delivery of livestock services to smallholders in Mozambique include governmental budgetary limitations, public-sector domination of the delivery of veterinary services and inputs and poor management. The programme was therefore designed to strengthen existing institutional structures and develop technical capacity.

Planned

Achieved

To establish improved management and control strategies within the administration and management departments of the National Directorate of Livestock.

To form a unified extension system (UES) from the existing extension service of the National Directorate of Rural Extension and to provide international and national technical assistance to plan extension activities, formulate guidelines and build training capacity.

To support the introduction of the UES in the four pilot provinces of Gaza, Manica, Tete and Nampula through the provision of technical assistance, transport and the training of field staff in extension methodologies, planning and monitoring. Staff were to be assigned from the provincial livestock services to assist extension teams.

To support the development of community-based livestock services and demonstration projects through the establishment of a community development fund. The programme was to provide international technical assistance to prepare guidelines and procedures for the promotion of community-based self-help projects, farmers' groups and gender-related activities.

To provide support to conduct a study of the contribution of the livestock sector to poverty alleviation.

In May 2000, programme management was absorbed into the administrative structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

National and international staff were recruited to fill positions in extension training and extension planning. Provincial economists were also recruited. However, it was determined that recruitment had been conducted in an inappropriate manner and that terms of reference were inconsistent with the skills and proper roles of staff. Three international study tours and courses on extension took place in Swaziland, Botswana and Kenya.

A number of UES training activities have taken place in the four provinces, including awareness workshops, a post-harvest crop conservation course, a demonstration of locally produced mineral blocks and training in fodder-bank preparation, communication skills, improved crushpen construction and the importance of poultry housing.

No community capacity-building activities have taken place due to the absence of guidelines for the operation of provincial community development funds and the fact that the operation of these funds is dependent on the full establishment and operation of the UES.

This activity was added at the time of the 2000 review, and no information is yet available on its implementation.

Although the agricultural research strategy for Mozambique identified high-priority research areas that could increase livestock production and household income, it was found that it did not reflect an understanding of livestock production systems and their interrelationships with other agricultural production systems. It was also considered inadequate in its treatment of economic, social and environmental criteria. The programme therefore set out to strengthen livestock research by supporting the collection of detailed baseline information and needs analysis through participatory and consultative processes and farming systems research (FSR) methodologies.

Planned

Activities

To establish zonal FSR teams and a national FSR team and provide training and funds to enable the FSR teams to perform effective investigations into agricultural and livestock practices, with the participation of farmers. The programme also intended to strengthen the livestock research capability of two FSR teams in order to facilitate the collection of baseline information on production systems and disease.

To appoint an international specialist in FSR to advise and facilitate the establishment, planning, implementation and evaluation of participatory research and development using FSR methodologies and approaches.

To establish a family livestock production systems research fund.

FSR training has been supplied, and equipment has been provided.

An international specialist in FSR was appointed in February 2000, and an in-country FSR introductory course was conducted.

A Competitive Agricultural Research Grant Office was established within the National Agricultural Research Council to manage the research fund. The fund has supported four research activities concerning the impact of productivity factors on livestock management, helmintoses in small ruminants, African swine fever and brucella melitensis.

Disease outbreaks have been a major constraint on the livestock subsector in Mozambique. The main diseases include Newcastle Disease, African swine fever, ticks and tick-borne diseases and trypanosomiasis. The Government has in the past endeavoured to control diseases through vaccination and dipping. The delivery of effective and efficient services to the livestock subsector is, however, constrained by budget limitations, the shortage of skilled animal health staff, limited institutional capacity for research and inadequate information on which to base animal health and disease-control programmes.

Planned

Achieved

To establish an Epidemiological Data Collection and Management Unit (EU) within the National Directorate of Livestock and to provide support facilities. Following the 2000 review, EU activities were refocused, so that the EU would address constraints relating to small ruminants and poultry, in addition to large ruminants. The programme was to support the EU in performing studies of rabies, Newcastle Disease, foot and mouth disease, brucellosis and tuberculosis and to provide vaccines, chemicals, sprays and drugs for disease control. Acaricides would be purchased from private local sources under a cost-recovery programme.

To support the free vaccination programme for the control of anthrax, blackquarter and foot and mouth disease and the provision of vaccines, a cold chain for vaccine distribution and storage and trypanocidal drugs.

To support the Newcastle Disease vaccination development programme through the provision of training, equipment, an egg-production flock and embryonated eggs. International and national technical assistance was to be supplied in poultry husbandry and the costs and benefits of vaccine production. The programme was also to assist in the development of extension material related to vaccination and poultry production and the establishment and training of village vaccinators.

To support the Institute of Veterinary Research in conducting research aimed at the control and surveillance of tick-borne, reproductive and poultry diseases. Activities would include epidemiological studies and monitoring, improvements in acaricide testing and assessment of tick resistance to acaricides.

To support training and the provision of technical advice on local disease control and eradication techniques.

To enhance the veterinary inspection of animals and animal products for human consumption.

To facilitate legal reform and the liberalization of veterinary services through the recruitment of a legal consultant in animal health and in veterinary pharmaceuticals to prepare suitable legislation applicable to the livestock sector.

The EU has been established, equipped and staffed with two veterinarians under the supervision of an epidemiologist. A consultant epidemiologist has been recruited to develop the unit and direct the initial work. The EU has been provided with transport facilities and office equipment. Staff within the unit have received training, including a two-month course in epidemiology at the University of Reading and a training visit in 1999 to investigate national epidemiology systems in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

No vaccines or equipment had been provided by the time of the 2000 review.

A vaccine for Newcastle Disease (I-2) has been developed, tested and validated for use in small flocks in Mozambique. Although it is ready for mass production and use, there are a number of problems with its manufacture. The distribution of the vaccine has so far been limited to the pilot projects in three provinces. Tests to discover the most appropriate distribution, administration and cost-recovery system have commenced, and the preparation of extension material for the vaccination programme has begun. In collaboration with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the programme funded the recruitment of a sociologist and an economist to assist in designing surveys which have been used to gather information on the production and productivity of village poultry in selected districts in four provinces. Field trials of the vaccine in 1999 helped to establish the number of vaccinations required per bird and the best method of vaccination. Since then, follow-up vaccinator training and regular use of the I-2 vaccine have commenced in the trial area.

Studies were conducted into water-buffalo mortality and tick-borne diseases. A sero-survey of cattle for Rift Valley Fever has been identified as a future priority.

The provincial livestock services from four provinces participated in a study tour to Zambia in 1998. All field-team staff received training in the identification and treatment of trypanosomes and tsetse flies and in the organization and management of campsites. Courses on tick and tick-borne diseases were held in Maputo for provincial animal health staff, and a course in South Africa on tick identification was provided to provincial veterinarians in 1999.

No activities related to public health and hygiene have yet taken place, although staff from each province have been trained in meat inspection in Botswana.

No information is yet available on the legal reform component.