26th November 2004
A team of leading figures from the Government, animal welfare charities and overseas development organisations have concurred that working equine animals are a critical element for overseas development, and should be placed high on the agenda.
The session, which was held yesterday at the Foreign Office and organised by leading equine animal welfare charity, the Brooke, coincided with the launch of the charity’s new multi-million pound partnership project aimed to increase the number of working equine animals it currently helps in the developing world from half a million to five million.
The session was opened by The Right Honourable Alun Michael MP, who set the tone by emphasising how: "animal welfare could not be separated from human welfare". Speaking of a DFID report in 2002 assessing local transport solutions for the rural poor in the developing world, the Minister concluded: "a key conclusion is the need to place greater emphasis on local transport solutions, which have wider benefits for the poor living in remote rural areas, particularly those based on animal traction."
Other speakers included leading animal welfare expert, Professor John Webster from Bristol University, Cowan Coventry from the development charity, Intermediate Technology Development Group, and Dr. Atul Shah from Jain Spirit Magazine.
Cowan Coventry stressed how displaced people in parts of sub-Saharan Africa are becoming increasingly desperate as they see their animals dying in their droves. "When people are displaced, the main asset is their animal. When they lose an animal, they not only lose an income but all their accumulated wealth."
Meanwhile, Professor Webster explained the scientific validity of sentience in animals and how animals ability to feel and respond to pain, fear and exhaustion "matters to them so should matter to us". Finally, Dr. Shah described how culture and religion plays a significant role in shaping poor people’s relations with their animals.
The Brooke’s partnership programme involves working directly with animal welfare and community development non-governmental organisations in parts of sub-Saharan Africa (including the Sudan and Ethiopia), Latin America and South Asia (including Afghanistan). Not only does it aim to help many more equine animals in need, this help would provide a lifeline for millions of poor people that are dependent on these animals for their livelihood.
Bill Swann, the Brooke’s International Director, says yesterday’s seminar confirms the Brooke’s belief that helping equine animals and people cannot be separated: "The experts overwhelmingly agreed with the proposition that support for animals in poor communities in the developing world is justified, and this support should be part of a wider package of measures aimed at increasing the quality of life for such people. The Brooke meets this requirement with its emphasis on working in partnership with local agencies, and its belief that healthy working animals for poor communities should be a development priority."
Editors Notes:
Animals provide more than half the energy expended in agriculture worldwide; people still provide 30%, and to reduce the burden of work, particularly on women, power provided by animals is actually increasing. In some countries, such as Afghanistan, more than 75% of all agricultural produce is moved by animal transport. Despite the importance of the working animal there is little investment in maintaining this vital source of power and income for millions of people across the developing world. The Brooke is a 70-year-old charity that currently works in parts of the Middle East and Asia, providing free veterinary treatment for equine animals and education & training for owners and users of animals.
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