Abstract
Globally, the annual economic impact of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is estimated at USD 11 billion in endemic settings, with the impact most profound among smallholder farmers. Farmers and the agro-veterinary stores that supply them are marginalized populations with limited to no access to veterinary care, and paucity of information on the availability and accessibility of vaccines. The objective of this study was to assess the accessibility and distribution channels of FMD vaccine, and the challenges related to the FMD vaccine market in these regions where livestock farming is highest and is an important component of livelihoods. A cross-sectional study was carried out, where at least one state was selected from five geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The locations were selected because of their high concentrations of livestock farmers. We interviewed 290 agro-veterinary store owners in these locations who directly supply smallholder farmers with animal health products. Data from the interviews were collected through the Kobocollect App (®). Almost all of the agro-veterinary stores in rural and peri-urban areas (96.4%) had direct patronage from livestock farmers. Out of these agro-veterinary stores, relatively few (29%) sold vaccines and among these, 81% did not sell FMD vaccines. More than half (60%) of the stores selling FMD vaccines did not always have the vaccine in stock. Furthermore, maintenance of the cold chain during storage and logistics of the vaccine topped the challenges faced with stocking and sales of livestock vaccines. It was recommended that to ensure FMD control by the livestock farmers in rural and peri-urban areas through the use of FMD vaccines sold by agro-veterinary stores located in their communities, there is a need to adopt some, if not all, of the suggestions provided by the agro-veterinary store owners. This will ultimately improve animal productivity, and farmer livelihoods, and contribute to national food security.