The new institutional economics of privatising veterinary services in Africa

This article presents the first part of a large-scale study aimed at developing a method for collecting standard information, based on quantitative criteria, about the national Veterinary Services of Member Countries of the OIE (World organisation for animal health). This information can then be used to assess such Veterinary Services in terms of quality and performance, or for accreditation. The study identified objective and relevant criteria for characterising Veterinary Services and an extensive questionnaire was developed, covering all aspects of the structures and functions of national Veterinary Services, which was sent to a broad range of OIE Member Countries. Each question and its answers were then evaluated and validated. In this way, 49 questions suitable for obtaining quantitative criteria to describe Veterinary Services were identified. In the next step of the study, this complex set of data will be further analysed.

show abstract

“…4). These findings are consistent with other studies of animal health services in Africa (8) and in low-income countries in general (7).…”

Section: Analysis Of Responsessupporting

confidence: 93%

The construction and evaluation of a questionnaire to identify quantitative criteria for evaluating national Veterinary Services

Tempelman¹,

Stärk²,

Salman³

et al. 2003

Rev. Sci. Tech. OIE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Cattle, swine and, for farmer groups, poultry provide the economic justification for animal health care in South Kivu, and these livestock could be the foundation of successful veterinary practices where a veterinarian supervised a staff of animal health assistants and arranged for the sale of the needed pharmaceuticals. This is the model of the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and of Vétérinaires sans Frontières and is also recommended in published research and literature reviews (Leonard et al, 1999;Leonard et al, 2013). But the asymmetric information problem of professional services has to be overcome, and the veterinary practice therefore trusted for producers to be willing to pay the costs.…”

Section: The Context Of Limited Animal Health Services In South Kivumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The problem, however, is not to create a private market in animal health services; trained government and private animal health care personnel already are available in the area and selling their services. Instead, the challenge is to create a set of market institutions in animal health that overcomes the asymmetric information problem and therefore is sufficiently trustworthy to stimulate farmers to buy the kind of services they actually need and for veterinarians and para-veterinarians to make a living providing them (Leonard et al, 1999).…”

Section: Asymmetric Information and The Problem Of Generating Trust Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such faith-based veterinary clinics by bodies with established reputations also would have the advantage of the assured quality of the pharmacies in the accompanying human clinics, rather than depending on the unreliable quality of medicines provided in the commercial markets. In the USA, private veterinarians make about two-thirds of their profits from the sale of pharmaceuticals-which are a much more immediately tangible benefit to the farmer than the diagnosis provided (Leonard et al, 1999).…”

Section: What Might the Realistic Options Be?mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

How can Public Professional Services be Restored in a Weak State? Options for Animal Health in Congo's South Kivu

Leonard

Mushi

Robinson

2017

Public Admin & Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARYHow does one deal with a shortcoming in a public service when even a state "pocket of effectiveness" is unlikely to fill it directly? In the Belgian colonial era, South Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo had a vibrant animal production system, which then was shattered by successive wars. The regeneration of Kivu's livestock industry is greatly constrained by the unreliability of the province's state and private animal health services, which have become commercialized and are unable to overcome the asymmetric information problem inherent to the professions and provide the trustworthy effectiveness farmers need to use them effectively. The Congolese state is unlikely to be able to fill this gap itself. Nonetheless, it can be an architect of solutions to the problem. We were able to identify in the local institutional repertoire at least four possible ways policy-makers could use non-governmental organizations to provide missing trustworthiness to the market. This conclusion is hopeful for places with development potential that have weak states and imperfect markets.

show abstract

“…New institutional arrangements for the conduct of government business and reducing costs in agricultural services around the world (Leonard 1993;Leonard et al . 1999)…”

Section: Appendixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ag econ angst crisis revisited

Johnson¹,

Rossmiller²,

Sandiford-Rossmiller³

2003

Aus J Agri & Res Econ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present paper was inspired by and is a response to the Rola-Rubzen, Hardaker and Dillon paper 'Agricultural economists and world poverty: progress and prospects' (Rola-Rubzen et al. 2001). It is agreed that the position of agricultural economists in foreign aid and poverty programs has declined over recent decades. Such a feeling of guilt and remorse expressed by the above authors does indeed create considerable 'angst'. A major reason for this state of affairs lies in 'the flavour of the month' approach of the development agencies. These include women in development, gender-based farming systems research, household nutrition and food security, people participation, and targeting the poorest of the poor. These fads have driven disciplinary considerations to the wall and the more widely-defined objectives have reduced the drive for economic efficiency. We argue there is still a place for better designed and delivered assistance programs within the wider framework of assistance that has become fashionable. Greater application of institutional principles in both the political processes associated with assistance and the implementation agencies would improve the outcomes of many projects. Particular attention would need to be given to the interface between the development agencies and recipient governments. The present paper picks up on the market failure aspects of agriculture's rather poor contribution to development, and develops a wider perspective in terms of the new institutional economics and a continuing role for the agricultural economist.

show abstract

The new institutional economics of privatising veterinary services in Africa

Cited by 30 publications

References 22 publications

The construction and evaluation of a questionnaire to identify quantitative criteria for evaluating national Veterinary Services

The construction and evaluation of a questionnaire to identify quantitative criteria for evaluating national Veterinary Services

How can Public Professional Services be Restored in a Weak State? Options for Animal Health in Congo's South Kivu

Ag econ angst crisis revisited

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About