Returns to livestock disease control – a panel data analysis in Togo

Abstract

This paper investigates whether – and to what extent – a veterinary intervention programme lead to improvements in small-scale cattle farmers’ welfare using a unique panel data set of 443 households from northern Togo. Our results show a positive impact of the interventions on improving farmers’ knowledge and husbandry practices that translates into improved livestock health and productivity. In addition, these positive effects trigger improvements in terms of poverty and vulnerability. The results highlight the important role of targeted interventions that aim to improve livestock health – a key asset among rural households in sub-Saharan Africa.