In south-western Niger, the population is being hit hard by soaring food prices. Uprooted by jihadist violence, entire families are currently going through a serious food crisis, against a backdrop of climate change and war in Ukraine. With the support of the European Union, we are distributing food packs to them.
Podcast: interview with Pablo Tittonell, expert in agroecology
On Tuesday 17 May, we had the honour to welcome Professor Pablo Tittonell to De Vooruit in Ghent. Listen to our very first podcast and (re)experience the whole talk from the first row.
War in Ukraine: how VSF International is helping refugees
Every day for just over a month, thousands of people have been fleeing Ukraine. Often with their pets. These animals play a crucial role in the mental health of refugees in this extreme situation.
“A healthy planet” – why we protect the environment as well
At the beginning of the year, we updated our slogan to read: “Healthy animals, healthy people, healthy planet.”That change has to do with our desire to emphasise the importance of the environment in our unique vision of health, as well as in our activities.
A network to protect animal health in South Kivu
Charline Nabintu and Safi Ngomora live in South Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two women have never met, but they have a lot in common. Despite the underlying insecurity, they have both chosen to devote their careers to animal health, serving livestock keepers in the region. Safi is a vet and Charline is a community animal health worker. This is a service of great benefit to society in a region where most of the population depend on livestock keeping for survival.
A digitised information system to revolutionise transhumance in the Sahel
Faced with growing insecurity and a disrupted climate, livestock keepers in the Sahel often find themselves on the front lines. Thanks to our digitised information system, they have access to reliable and up-to-date information about security and pastures. That enables them to make the best decisions for the transhumance of their herds.
Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Belgium reconnecting with humanitarian aid
The security and climate situation in sub-Saharan Africa has deteriorated over the last few years. Whether in the Sahel or in the region of the Great Lakes, conflicts and extreme climate conditions are becoming more and more frequent. Communities that rely on livestock keeping are particularly severely affected. Faced with growing distress in these populations, we are resuming our humanitarian efforts in five countries. 80,000 people will benefit from them over the next two years.
Mauritania: The urgent need to preserve soil and water in response to erosion
In the Assaba region in the south of Mauritania, erosion threatens the livelihoods of rural communities. For agro-pastoralists and their livestock, soil and water quality are of vital importance. We support them to carry out restoration works and to manage the new infrastructure in a sustainable way.
The uncertain future of agro-pastoralists in Mauritania
An early and particularly long lean season is about to begin in south-east Mauritania. The future of agro-pastoralists is more uncertain than ever after a disappointing rainy season.