Juba Valley Veterinary Institute
Juba Valley Veterinary Institute is a veterinary institute in Bardera, in Somalia's Gedo region. The institute is part of Bardera Polytechnic specialized schools and institutes within the college system.
History
The Institute was created to help thousands of agro-pastoral families whose animals roam in six adjacent regions in south and southwestern Somalia, Gedo, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Bay, Bakol and Lower Shabelle. These regions contain far more animals than the country's central, northern or eastern regions. Lower Shabele University and Bardera Polytechnic have partnered to train people to work in the agriculture and livestock industries.Agro-pastoralism
The economy in the three Juba Valley regions, with the exception of fishing communities along the Kismayo coast, make their living with agro-pastoral practices. The Institute will be the first in southern Somalia to advocate the development and growth of the livestock sector.Following the start of the Somali Civil War in 1991, villagers and people in mid-sized towns started owning sheep, cattle or camel for milk and cash value. Most other jobs disappeared for two decades.
During the 1970s and 1980s, farmers raised cattle for milk, meat and to sell at the Kismayo Livestock Market and for the meat processing plant in Kismayo. The Ministry of Livestock and National Range was the sole authority in Somalia for the welfare of domestic or wild animals.