Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria with over 75 million people and an area of 1.2 million square kilometers. Its economy is based largely on agriculture. Unfortunately, the country's agricultural production is not sufficient to feed the population. This is due to a high population growth coupled with the inefficiency of the traditional agricultural practices. The agricultural sector constitutes some 40-46% GDP, 85% of employment opportunities, more than 90% of foreign exchange earnings and most of the food supply.

Animals represent major national resources. The population represents 35 million cattle, 26 million sheep, 21 million goats, 7.1 million equines, 1.2 million camels, 53 million poultry and immense bee and fishery resources. Animal rearing is an integral part of agricultural production in Ethiopia. Crops are cultivated almost entirely using animal power. Annually 6 million pairs of oxen are utilized in the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land. It is virtually upon animal breeding that the very existence and survival of the social fabric of the community is based and built. The presence of diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy skin disease, small ruminant pox, Newcastle disease, Gumboro disease and the presence of other devastating diseases has reduced significantly the life expectancy of these animals.

Ethiopia with 17% of the cattle, 11% of the goats, 12% of the sheep, 15% of the donkeys, and 7% of the camels and 50% of the horses and mules in Africa, has the lowest number of animal health professionals.

The first veterinary facility established at Debre-Zeit in 1979 has been unable to fill the need in this regard because of the limited student enrolment it has had in the last 30 years. Taking cognizance of the limitations both in number and quality of graduate veterinarians, current educational and agricultural policies emphasize the need for expanding existing veterinary schools, establishing new veterinary schools and revision of the curriculum to elevate the quality of the graduates to meet the national needs and international standards.

Needless to say the focus of the Ethiopian Veterinary School of Medicine is on Large Animal medicine.  The school provides only one course on small animals (Dogs and Cats) which means there aren’t any veterinarians graduating from the school who are trained to treat these animals, in a country that has a very large population of dogs and cats as well.

The International Fund for Africa is working to rectify this deficiency by helping to establish a comprehensive small animal curriculum that will answer the needs of the country. We are working with U.S. Veterinary Doctors that have vast experience in setting up small animal curriculum’s inter nationally. We are also in discussions with several U.S. veterinary schools to explore sending members of their faculties to help set up a teaching program for small animal medicine in Ethiopia. We have also held talks with Dr. Takele Abayeneh, Assistant Dean, and Dr. Tefera Yilma, Clinical Department Head, of The Veterinary School of Medicine in Ethiopia and will be signing a Memorundum of Understanding with the school.

To make this a reality we need donations to pay for air travel and lodging for the U.S. vets that will travel to Ethiopia to teach. Please consider donating to this worth while cause.

IFA has also established a working relationship with the Club for Animal Welfare (CAW), an organization  comprising of veterinary students, with a mission to spread compassion for animals in Ethiopia.  IFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine on behalf of the Club for Animal Welfare (CAW) on November 13,2009.  Under the MOU IFA will support their activities in the future

You are invited to join us in funding these projects. Please make your donation today,no amount is too small. All gifts are appreciated.