Livestock provide a critical path for millions in the developing world to escape absolute poverty. There is a simple truth for nearly 700 million of the world’s poorest people: Survival and prosperity are almost entirely dependent on the health of their livestock.

When livestock are healthy, farming families are healthy.

Health
Animal-borne illnesses pose a significant threat to human lives in the developing world. Some diseases, such as porcine cysticercosis and tick-borne diseases, are zoonotic and can be passed from animals to humans.

Stability
Farm animals represent a critical and often sole-source level of economic security for people in the developing world. People use their income from livestock to trade for food and basic health services.

Community
Successful livestock management forms a key stepping stone to sustainability and economic growth.

Empowerment
Enabling keepers to care for their livestock by providing accessible, affordable treatments and diagnostic tools.

Awareness
Despite a clear link between livestock health and economic improvement among rural farmers, only 4 percent of official development assistance has been invested in agricultural development over the past 15 years.