To help rebuild the livestock sector in Burundi that was devastated following the 1993 civil war and ensuing unrest, and to assist livestock producers, projects, professionals, policy makers and others in this effort.

2.  Lack of technical resources / assistance .  Many of the veterinarians and other livestock technical specialists either fled the country or were massacred during the war.  As a consequence, the Heart of Africa project does all of its own veterinary surgery and medical work, under very basic conditions .

The national veterinary laboratory has only minimal facilities still operational, and any serious laboratory work needed by the project requires that samples be sent to Kenya or to South Africa. 

1.  Replace lost livestock with sustainable, productive breeds.  The project maintains foundation and multiplication herds totalling over 100 head.  German Alpine dairy goats and South African Boer meat goats have been imported by the project and are being crossbred with the indigenous, Central African Goat (CAG).  Well-proportioned CAG does and bucks have been purchased to upgrade the indigenous breed.  CAG does are being crossbred to Alpines, to develop a dairy strain of CAG, and others are being crossbred to Boers, to develop a meat strain of CAG.  The project now has both 1^st through 4^th generation crosses.  For distribution to farmers, the project uses crosses at the 1 ^st and 2^nd generation (50% & 75%).  This helps to assure that adaptive traits of the CAG, like tolerance to certain parasites and tick-borne diseases, will be retained.

2.  Train livestock owners in nutrition, healthcare, etc.  Bucks of 1^st or 2^nd generation are leased to farmer goat associations that the project helps to form or strengthen, and association members breed their own does to the buck that they have leased.  They also use the buck as an income-generator, by charging a small fee to non-association members who want to breed their does.   Associations are given basic training in goat husbandry.  Persons who have no goats can join the association and then receive – under contract - two bred does of the 1 ^st generation of crosses – or a full-blooded CAG that will be bred to the association's improved buck

Training of village-level para-veterinarians and of veterinary technicians is also an important project activity.  Most recently these activities have been conducted in collaboration with World Vision-Burundi, with whom we are collaborating by providing improved breeding stock and training to para-veterinarians and veterinary technicians: -.

 Village level Para-Veterinarians learning to use a digital thermometer.

 Veterinary Technicians learning to estimate goat weight using a measuring tape

4.  Introduce appropriate agroforestry and fodder crops.  Based on prior work conducted by the International Centre for Agroforestry Research in Burundi, the project is organizing on-farm, farmer-managed trials in several areas of the country in order to identify species that best meet the needs of farmers for fodder, soil improvement, and wood products.  This includes both direct seeding and use of seedlings.

Women from rural areas are encouraged to bring their infants to workshops so that they can feel free to attend.

6.  Provision of Information & Training Materials.  To help address the serious lack of information and training materials, the project has put in place a small resource center as well as materials online.

We have also developed several video presentations on goats from around the world to use in training courses.  Here, in the adjoining picture, technical staff of World Vision–Karuzi are enjoying a presentation of pictures showing  Tennessee Meat Goats, Kikos, and Boers from the States; and Nubians and other Indigenous breeds from around Africa.

7.  Assessments of Current Livestock Conditions.  The project has already completed a broad assessment of conditions in the goat sector, funded by the International Livestock Research Institute, and now is working with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on a national assessment of current goat projects and programs in the different provinces of the country.  These assessments are participatory, incorporating villagers in the work – as shown here.

8.  Assistance to returning ex-combatants & refugees.  Together with partners, the project is providing livestock-based training,  workshops, information, and business and support services to ex-combatants, returning refugees, and members of their home communities as a key part of the reintegration process.