Analytical study examines para-veterinary workforce factors impacting service delivery in livestock health, suggesting necessary policy changes.
This study assessed the factors influencing animal health service (AHS) delivery by para-veterinarians (para-vets) and quantified their competencies across four major livestock states in India—Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana. Strategic assessment using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) revealed that organizational strengths, such as empathetic behavior, cultural compatibility, and wide coverage, provide a strong operational base. However, the most critical impediment was institutional: high workforce dissatisfaction and low morale resulting from unclear job definitions and the lack of defined career pathways. The largest external opportunity lied in formal governmental recognition and the establishment of dedicated para-vet cadres. Competency evaluation using the Competency Assessment Index (CAI) highlighted proficiency in foundational skills like animal handling and basic extension assistance. Conversely, competence was critically low in areas vital for public health, specifically adherence to farm safety, hygiene, animal welfare protocols during doorstep delivery, and the use of modern communication technologies. These findings underscored an urgent need for comprehensive policy intervention focusing on professional formalization and targeted capacity building.
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Kumar et al. (2026) studied this question.
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