Demand Driven Agricultural Advisory Services

Box 4: Provision of animal health services in KenyaThe Kenyan veterinary surgeons’ act forbids anybody without a veterinary degreeto practice veterinary medicine. In addition, veterinarians are not allowed toengage in the sale of drugs, which reduces the viability of rural private practices.Veterinarians are therefore few and almost non-existent in many rural areas.Meanwhile drugs are sold in agro-vet shops, which are often manned by unqualifiedstaff. Where neither veterinarians nor animal health workers are available,farmers buy the drugs in the agro-vet shops, treat their animals themselves andcreate a risk of drugs not being used correctly.Enhance competencies of advisers to deliver qualityservicesQuality services depend on the competencies of the advisers. When farmersset criteria for quality services they are concerned with the content ofthe services, but also very often with the way service providers interact withthem. Qualities such as respectful attitudes, timeliness, fast response incase of emergency and willingness to listen are of high priority for farmers.Training for service providers should therefore include professional trainingin personal attitudes, methods of service delivery, as well as technologies.Forums dealing with interesting topics serve as a valuable tool for personaland professional development of the advisers. They enable them to shareinformation and experiences and mutually inspire each other. The forumscan therefore serve to develop as well as maintain good quality standardsof the services.Interest in participating in forums and the willingness to share informationand knowledge among service providers will, however, depend on the23