That Sheep May Safely Graze

The very mention of Afghanistanconjures images of war, international power politics, the opium trade, and widespreadcorruption. Yet the untold story of Afghanistan's seemingly endless misfortune isthe disruptive impact that prolonged conflict has had on ordinary ruralAfghans, their culture, and the timeless relationship they share with theirland and animals. In rural Afghanistan, when animals die, livelihoods are lost,families and communities suffer, and people may perish. That Sheep May Safely Graze detailsa determined effort, in the midst of war, to bring essential veterinaryservices to an agrarian society that depends day in and day out on thewell-being and productivity of its animals, but which, because of decades ofwar and the disintegration of civil society, had no reliable access to even themost basic animal health care. The book describes how, in theface of many obstacles, a dedicated group of Afghan and expatriateveterinarians working for a small nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Kabul was able to create a nationalnetwork of over 400 veterinary field units staffed by over 600 veterinaryparaprofessionals. These paravets were selected by their own communities andthen trained and outfitted by the NGO so that nearly every district in thecountry that needed basic veterinary services now has reliable access to suchservices.Most notably, over a decade afterits inception and with Afghanistan still in free fall, this private sector,district-based animal health program remains vitally active. The community-basedveterinary paraprofessionals continue to provide quality services to farmersand herders, protecting their animals from the ravages of disease and improvingtheir livelihoods, despite the political upheavals and instability that continueto plague the country. The elements contributing to this sustainability and theirapplication to programs for improved veterinary service delivery in developingcountries beyond Afghanistan are described in the narrative.