The delivery of veterinary services to poorer communities: the case of rural Orissa, India

This paper presents the results of a field survey on use patterns and demand for clinical veterinary services in one of the poorest states of India, namely, Orissa. A demand function was estimated using Poisson regression and demand elasticities were obtained for various income groups. The survey shows that large numbers of households, including the poor, pay prices that are significantly higher than those prescribed. There is no targeting of cheaper services towards the poor. The analysis also suggests that for a given service and place of service, the poor actually paid more on a per veterinary visit basis. As a result, the rate of service utilisation was significantly lower for poor households. Demand analysis confirmed that the demand for veterinary services is not determined by subsidised service delivery, but by access to output markets and general awareness levels. In the light of these findings, the paper makes a number of recommendations for redefining the role of the Government in veterinary service delivery in Orissa.