‘Rural development is not an abstract concept’

Since 1999, Vets Without Borders Ireland has supported thousands of people through impactful veterinary and animal health projects in countries including Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Romania, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and Nepal. It places One Health at the centre of everything it does – the recognition that the health of people is closely connected to and intertwined with the health of our animals and our environment. But what does that look like in a developing world’s agricultural system? Mike explains: “The concept is the same whether we are talking about agriculture in Ireland or in a developing world farming context, but the issues are different. In Ireland, the nitrates issue is a good example of the One Health approach, that illustrates the relationship between livestock, water quality, and human health, where if one is impacted, all are impacted.
“In countries where we work, deforestation is a more common example with loss of habitat driving wildlife toward humans and livestock, which increases the risk of the spillover of zoonotic disease (disease that affect both animals and humans). This not only weakens biodiversity, but communities also lose clean water, climate change resilience, and food security.”

Antimicrobial resistance – a global issue
To tackle this issue, Mike explains, livestock projects overseen by members of their network usually incorporate the recruitment and training of local farmers as community animal health workers to provide basic veterinary services in rural areas that often have no veterinary personnel. Using these technicians in the medicine-supply chain means there is some advice for farmers around antibiotic selection, dose rates, withdrawal periods for example, all of which impact antibiotic resistance. VSF International has also been heavily involved, in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health, in trying to standardise the training of community animal health workers and getting them official recognition.

Irish solidarity
Vets Without Borders Ireland says its values are rooted in ‘a sense of solidarity with small-scale livestock farmers in the developing world arising from our backgrounds in agriculture and veterinary medicine in Ireland’. Mike explains that for Irish people of a certain vintage, ‘rural development’ is not an abstract concept. “I am 60, and for people like me, who grew up on farms in Ireland in the 1970s, we’ve seen first-hand how access to knowledge, expertise and resources can transform a farm, a family, and an entire community,” says Mike.
He suggests that, perhaps because of our own history, we also have a particular empathy for rural communities facing hardship and a lack of resources. He continues: “My great-grandparents were born during The Famine, an experience that remains embedded in our national memory and, in many ways, in our collective DNA. We understand the difference that opportunity, support, and the right resources can make, and what can happen when access to those is not there.
“We are living in a rapidly changing world, and communities that depend on agriculture are often among the most vulnerable to climate change. Helping them develop the skills, knowledge and resources to adapt, and to do so sustainably, makes communities more resilient and, ultimately, benefits us all.
“In many ways, it is the same challenge we face here in Ireland: how do we help our rural communities adapt, thrive, and build a sustainable future? The difference is, the communities our projects are operating in, are starting from a very different base, whereby survival and quality of life are the core issues for both animals and humans.

Looking ahead
Over the next five to 10 years, Mike says, he would like to see Vets Without Borders Ireland grow in a way that strengthens the organisation without losing the values and personal commitment that has always defined it.
“Until now, Vets Without Borders Ireland has been wholly volunteer led. As our work has become more complex, we recognised that this was no longer sustainable. This year we took an important step by appointing our first employee, Rebecca Reynolds, to lead strategy and development. Our medium-term priority is to build the structures, capacity, and partnerships needed to allow Vets Without Borders Ireland and our projects to grow and thrive.”
And like anything, change and growth also bring challenges and one of the greatest of these, says Mike, is climate resilience. He explains: “These farmers are not separated from their food systems in the way many of us are. Their crops and livestock are often literally outside their front doors, and when harvests fail or livestock are affected by drought, disease or extreme weather, they have very limited resources to fall back on. Helping communities develop the knowledge, skills, and resources to adapt sustainably will become increasingly important.”
In terms of partnerships, he says he hopes to build on existing relationships within the Vétérinaires Sans Frontières network, particularly with smaller member organisations, sharing knowledge, expertise and resources and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
He adds: “Ultimately, I would like to see Vets Without Borders Ireland become a stronger, more sustainable organisation, able to respond to emerging challenges such as climate change and antimicrobial resistance, while remaining focused on what we have always done best: supporting communities to build their own capacity and create lasting change.”

Support
Irish farmers and vets have a particularly important role to play in supporting Vets Without Borders Ireland, Mike explains: “They understand first-hand the value of healthy livestock, sustainable farming and strong rural communities. That experience and expertise create a natural connection with the communities we support overseas.
“The most direct way to support our work is through donations and fundraising either by taking part in one of our organised fundraisers or by hosting your own. People can also make a huge difference simply by spreading awareness of Vets Without Borders Ireland and encouraging colleagues, friends and farming networks to get involved.”

Part one of this interview featured in the September 2026 issue of Irish Farmers Monthly.