Proximate determinants of the effective demand for animal health services in smallholder sector of Zimbabwe

In order to determine the possibility of commercialization and privatization of animal health services in smallholder farming areas as alternatives to public service delivery given the prevailing financial challenges, a questionnaire based survey was used to obtain data from 333 livestock farmers randomly selected in Gutu district of Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. The questionnaire obtained information on farmer's ability to pay for animal health services (expenditure on animal health per year) and their animal health related socio-economic circumstances (need, enabling and predisposing factors to animal health). Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between expenditure on animal health and socio-economic factors. About 62% of the households were effectively demanding animal health care while 48% were not paying for animal health services. The effective demand for animal health services were positively influenced by livestock units, income, asset ownership and years in education at 10%, 1%, 5% and 5% levels of significance respectively. Household size was inversely related to effective demand at 1% level. Outcomes from this analysis provided evidence that there is potential to commercialize and privatize animal health services in smallholder areas given that most farmers are effectively demanding the services. To further stimulate effective demand in smallholder sectors, policy targets should focus on improving livestock ownership, education and resource base of farmers in terms of physical and financial assets. Household size with adverse effects on effective demand can be controlled through family planning programmes to ensure that family sizes can be streamline especially among the young age groups.