Due to the war, many veterinarians emigrated and the few established Veterinary clinics and professional veterinary laboratories difficult to access. In the villages of the Eastern Raqqa Governorates such facilities have been rare ever since and basically absent. Thus, the distance for many breeders to the next Veterinary clinics and laboratories distances often over 60 km, which makes their access difficult and unaffordable for most breeders. Considering that historically, in Northeast Syria (Eastern Raqqa Governorate) agriculture and livestock have been ever since the main economic drivers and in particular the main livelihood provider of the rural Syrian communities there, the strengthening of veterinary service provision through professional clinic and laboratory premises has been revealed fundamental to enhance the breeders access to fast disease diagnosis and subsequent treatment and medication.

The activation of the veterinary clinics and laboratories, as well as one Veterinary Mobile Clinic, represents a milestone for the enhancement of the rural communities. Several stakeholders were involved in the path of change, in particular the local veterinarians who are now able to concretely assist the breeders in monitoring and preventing animal diseases, conducting analysis and diagnosis with modern laboratory equipment, and to reach farms located in the rural areas. Guaranteeing fast access to competent veterinary staff and services will be a safeguard to enhance animal health and consequently livestock production. Breeders and local cooperatives also play an important role in the process of change, being part of the maintenance of Syrian rural heritage, safeguarding the health and wellbeing their animals.

The opening of the veterinary clinic/laboratory in Raqqa brought about a real change as there was no facility in the entire area capable of carrying out analysis and diagnosis of the most common animal diseases. In the short and medium term, the presence of specialized Vet clinics in the project area will help the breeders to safe money – hence reducing production cost. The fact that the 3 clinics are located in an area, where such facilities have been basically absent, is at one hand easing the accessibility of farmers to expertise and advisory /consultations and at the other hand simply by reducing the costs to bring the sick animals to far located clinics or in worst case to slaughter them in light of having no other affordable option. By reducing livestock losses due to diseases and prevention measures the breeders can decrease their production costs and herewith generate more income for their families. Hence the establishment of the three Vet-clinics and labs will be fundamental to buttress the preservation of livestock assets in this area and eventually maintain the main livelihood resource of these communities. Having the possibility to get time-close access to professional veterinary assistance in case of emergencies or as well as simply for prevention purposes, presents a facilitation and ease for the breeder to safeguard the health and wellbeing of their most important assets – their animals. The Mobile Vet clinic has been fully adapted to the local environment and the needs of the Veterinarians working in the field/on the farm and is currently at the service of all the remote located farms East of Raqqa, which otherwise would have few possibilities to access proper veterinary care.

The clinics and laboratories have been completely rehabilitated and have been fully equipped with the latest available veterinary equipment and laboratory devices as professional microscopes, rapid tests for bacteriological diseases, surgery equipment, hoof trimming tools and many others, allowing to perform proper bacteriological and parasites analysis for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention or treatment of animal diseases. Complementary to it, Capacity building actions of veterinary staff to enhance local capabilities in effective disease diagnosis and technical Assistance to the local veterinary staff for the operative management of the facilities. For the mobile clinic the Local handcrafter realized a tailor-made construction, providing spacious storage for all relevant Veterinary tools, enabling the Vets to conduct a series of treatments directly on the farm, as well as a working space for the Vets inside the Van/truck to perform immediate basic laboratory tests & diagnosis. In this way the veterinarians can considerably fasten animal disease diagnosis and hence provide quick and effective response.