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Livestock is an important livelihood asset base of the poor. Services in health-care, breeding, nutrition, marketing etc., are important to secure livestock assets and to improve their productivity. The services provided by Animal Husbandry department or other organisations are often inaccessible for the poor.

To have better control and access to the services SHG platforms undertook livestock services for their members. Kosgi MMS offered vaccination services through their Village Organisations (VO). In this initiative the members pay the cost of complete annual vaccination (worked out with them) to the VO. The VO ensures timely vaccination to all livestock registered under the programme. Vaccines are accessed centrally from the Animal Husbandry department by the MMS. Community workers are trained in vaccination and preventive-health care by WASSAN. Internal capacities of MMS and mechanisms to provide other services would be built up. The objective is to make the MMS or its organisations as service providers in which the government department plays the role of a support system.

In another attempt the individuals from the existing large Sheep and Goat Rearers Cooperatives were organized into small SHGs. This would increase the transparency; democratize decision making, cut down the vested interests and evolve institutional systems. 60 such groups were formed in 3 mandals of Mahabubnagar, which meet regularly every month and a process of networking was initiated. Two rearers (a youth and a traditional practitioner) are being trained in each village in various aspects of management including primary health-care. These groups would be strengthened to provide different services (healthcare, breeding, marketing, value addition etc.). GUARDS, a local partner organisation based in Kodangal is facilitating the work in the field.

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