A look at the long-lasting impacts on Animal Production and Veterinary Education of a Farmer-to-Farmer program in Lebanon.
Many people interested in international development have heard of the USAID funded Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F) https://farmer-to-farmer.org/ The aim of the program is to “support farmers and agribusiness professionals in developing countries to improve their livelihoods and food security. Farmer-to -Farmer sends U.S.-based volunteers on technical assignments to provide hands-on training to communities, cooperatives, agribusinesses, and educational institutions”. It is easy to see the immediate impact these volunteers can have for the groups and individuals they work with. However, the volunteers often remain unaware of the long term impact of their assignments under the Farmer-to Farmer (F2F) program.
My name is Mushtaq Memon and I am the We-Empower Vice President-Livestock. My specialty is in Veterinary Reproduction and I served as a F2F volunteer to Lebanon in 2012. At that time, the program was headed by the ACDI/VOCA Regional Director Noubia Gribi-Hussain and ACDI/VOCA Lebanon Country Director Hassan Istaytiyeh. My assignment was to assist Dr. Jamal Khazaal in improving his veterinary business located in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. I accompanied Dr Khazaal on many farm visits in various locations in Lebanon and made my recommendations for animal health and reproduction.
In May of 2023, I was invited to give several presentations at the Beirut International Veterinary Conference. While there I was pleased to reconnect with Dr. Khazaal and to learn that, since my visit, his veterinary practice has grown from 9 employees to 85, and his business (LibanVet) is now the largest veterinary services, pharmaceutical and equipment business in Lebanon. It is gratifying to see that my interactions with Dr. Khazaal 11 years ago has resulted in increased availability of veterinary services and supplies to farmers not only in Lebanon but also in other Middle East and North African countries where his company has subsidiaries.
Another example of the long-term benefits of a F2F assignment occurred as I approached the conference registration counter. One of the conference organizers shouted, “I remember you; you taught us during your visit to veterinary faculty at Lebanese University in 2012!” Dr Daria Saadeh, a veterinary student in 2012, is now a specialist in Veterinary Internal Medicine and Intensive Care. (Pictured is Dr. Memon with the first class of graduating veterinary students in 2012)
Mushtaq Memon, We-Empower Vice President-Livestock and Prof Emeritus, Washington State University has completed nine F2F assignments to six countries in 7 years. In recognition of his contributions, he received the 2012 Volunteer for Economic Growth Alliance Service Award https://www.devex.com/organizations/volunteers-for-economic-growth-alliance-vega-20952