Helping working Equidae and their owners in developing countries: monitoring and evaluation of evidence-based interventions.
Authors: Upjohn Melissa M, Pfeiffer Dirk U, Verheyen Kristien L P
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary Over 112 million equidae globally depend on resource-limited owners in developing countries, yet systematic evidence on the effectiveness of welfare interventions remains scarce despite numerous NGOs delivering veterinary care and training programmes in these communities. Upjohn and colleagues conducted a literature review of peer-reviewed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) reports documenting outcomes-based interventions in working equid populations, identifying critical gaps in how organisations assess and report the impact of their activities. The analysis revealed a striking paucity of rigorous baseline data and standardised outcome indicators across published evaluations, limiting the ability of NGOs to demonstrate real improvements in animal welfare or learn from one another's approaches. Without robust M&E frameworks using objective, measurable indicators tracked against baseline conditions, working equid organisations cannot reliably establish which interventions genuinely improve welfare or allocate resources most effectively. For practitioners involved in developing equine healthcare, education or welfare programmes in resource-constrained settings, this work highlights the urgent need to establish baseline assessments and implement standardised monitoring protocols—enabling the sector to build an evidence base that strengthens both individual programme effectiveness and broader understanding of working equidae health and management challenges.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •NGO interventions for working equidae lack published evidence of impact—demand peer-reviewed M&E reports to learn what works best for your operations
- •Establish baseline data and objective indicators when implementing welfare programmes so your results can be documented and shared with the wider working equine community
- •Collaborate with other organizations to publish findings on intervention outcomes, creating an evidence base that will strengthen future welfare initiatives across developing countries
Key Findings
- •An estimated 112 million Equidae exist in developing countries providing essential livelihood resources for impoverished owners
- •Few peer-reviewed publications describe monitoring and evaluation of equine NGO interventions using objective outcome-based indicators with baseline data
- •Equine NGOs provide veterinary care, education and training programmes aimed at improving welfare in working equid communities
- •A rigorous evidence base is needed to enhance the effectiveness and inform the design of future working equid welfare interventions