Rural development and food security

Veterinary cooperation and rural development since 1999

We put veterinary, agricultural and environmental expertise at the service of rural communities in Africa, South America and Asia, working with qualified local partners.

Support us Explore our projects

27years of cooperation

11countries where we have worked

32projects completed and ongoing

100%volunteers: none of us is paid

About us

Vets, agronomists and technicians serving rural communities

AVEC-PVS was founded in 1999 by a group of development cooperation professionals. We work with qualified local partners in Africa, South America and Asia, building on local technical staff and keeping expatriate staff to a minimum. None of us is paid: every euro goes to our projects.

Our story and team

Rural development only works when animal health, agriculture, the environment and training move forward together.

What we do

Our areas of work

An integrated approach to rural development: from animal health to protecting biodiversity.

60 projects

Rural development and food security

Agriculture, small-scale livestock farming and income-generating activities to ensure food and self-reliance for rural communities.

36 projects

Animal husbandry and animal health

Animal health, veterinary services and better livestock farming for pastoralists and smallholders. A One Health approach.

24 projects

Beekeeping

Bees as a driver of rural development: modern techniques, quality honey, income and biodiversity protection.

16 projects

Dairy and cheese

Rural dairies, hygiene and product quality, marketing: from cow's milk in Ecuador to yak's milk in Tibet.

20 projects

Environment, forests and biodiversity

Tackling soil erosion, nurseries and reforestation with native plants, and biodiversity conservation.

56 projects

Education and training

Schools, training for local technicians and awareness-raising in Italy on cooperation issues.

8 projects

Aquaculture

Family freshwater fish ponds as a source of protein and income.

Where we work

Our projects around the world

Each dot is a country where we have worked. Click to see the projects: ongoing ones in yellow, completed ones in blue.

On this map, countries are shown in their true proportions.

Projects

What we are doing now

All projects

Ongoing

Burkina Faso

Improving the living conditions of displaced women affected by conflict in Burkina Faso

In the municipality of Fada, a group of displaced women are seeking a fresh start through farm work and new…

Ongoing

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Helping vulnerable families in Kindu send their children to school

Making sure 60 girls and boys in Kindu, Maniema, can start or stay in school until they finish their education.

Ongoing

Italy

Development education and bee protection in Italy

Lessons in schools and at university, evening events, project design courses, conferences and the "Rispettiamo le api" (Let's respect bees)…

98%

Transparency · 2025 financial report

98% of what we spend goes directly to our projects

In our 2025 accounts almost all expenditure went directly to projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya. Running costs (insurance, bank, website) stay below 2%, because none of us is paid.

Read the financial report

Partners and supporters