TORIT, SOUTH SUDAN, May 2, 2023 - Veterinarians Without Borders/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Canada (VWB/VSF) welcomed a grant of US $200,000 from the Zoetis Foundation to support vulnerable livestock farmers in South Sudan. This funding comes at a critical time as 63% of South Sudan’s population faces food insecurity. Zoetis Foundation funding will enhance the food security and livelihood resilience of 14,700 vulnerable livestock farmers in Torit, Eastern Equatoria State for one year.
The project will help to distribute climate-resilient goats and chicken breeds to vulnerable households experiencing hunger and malnutrition, provide training for livestock farmers on appropriate livestock-keeping and feeding practices, educate communities on the prevention of zoonotic diseases, and protect livestock assets through treatment and vaccination campaigns.
“This project will improve food security and livelihood resilience for vulnerable farmers in Torit through community-based livestock extension services and livestock production; it will also strengthen community capacity to mitigate and prevent the transmission of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans and vice versa,” said John Gaaniko, country director, VWB/VSF.
“Women play a critical role in agriculture and caring for livestock in South Sudan, and it is vital to equip them with the knowledge and resources to maintain healthy animals,” said Jeannette Ferran Astorga, President of the Zoetis Foundation. “By investing in the well-being of livestock and empowering women farmers, we can help build a more sustainable and resilient future for communities in South Sudan.”
Taban Kaps Roberts, program manager at VWB/VSF said, “This is a very good project in this part of South Sudan as it will help equip more women farmers with skills in animal production and the proper management of animals by providing food and protection against diseases, creating a sustainable employment opportunity and, thereby, increasing their living standards.”
Laura Eley
Communications Officer
E: laura@vetswithoutborders.ca
C: +1 343-633-0272, x 114
About VWB/VSF
VWB/VSF is a charitable international organization; we work for, and with, communities in need to foster the health of animals, people, and the environments that sustain us. Established in 2005, VWB/VSF works with local and international partners to address the needs of vulnerable communities in the Global South, as well as in remote areas of Canada. We have been in South Sudan since 2013 implementing mostly food security and livelihood projects in Warrap, Jonglei, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, and Eastern Equatoria States.
About the Zoetis Foundation
The Zoetis Foundation supports communities and the people who care for animals, with a specific focus on advancing opportunities for veterinarians and farmers around the world. The Foundation’s grantmaking and strategic efforts provide access to education and mental wellness resources, expand veterinary debt relief, support diversity and inclusion efforts, and enable thriving livelihoods by funding programs that help veterinary practices and farmers adopt sustainable business practices. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit: www.zoetisfoundation.org.
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