The  project  “Sustainable Business through Training  for Veterinary Paraprofessionals” aims to  increase smallholder farmers’ access to quality animal health service provision through improved capacity of veterinary paraprofessionals to deliver animal health services and by addressing the key challenges propagating veterinary paraprofessionals’ business instability.

Key to this approach is the delivery of competency-based training, and recognition of acquired competencies through  certification. Certification  should  serve as a gateway to recognition, increased access to quality veterinary medical products and to new business opportunities in the last mile delivery animal health services. A central pillar of this approach is the development of a veterinary paraprofessional competency framework tailored to country specificities.

The goal of the tool is to provide a framework for veterinary paraprofessionals (VPPs) which will support their efforts in improving their professional competencies. This will lead on the one hand to improved quality of animal health service provision and on the other hand improved business opportunities and increased income for veterinary paraprofessionals from provision of services. This will not only benefit the VPPs but also their clients, particularly smallholder farmers, and their livestock.