Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International

What Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International does

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International is a Brussels-based international non-profit association (a.i.s.b.l.) operating as a federated network of 12 member organizations headquartered across Europe and North America (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland, and North America). Founded in 1990 (originally as VSF Europa, rebranded to VSF International in 2018), the network coordinates livestock-focused development and humanitarian programs in 60 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. In 2024, network members treated 28.9 million animals and supported 2.46 million families through livestock health, agroecology, One Health, pastoralism, and rabies elimination programs.

The organization's core 'products' are programmatic interventions rather than commercial offerings: Community Animal Health Worker (CAHW) training and deployment, One Health integration, pastoralist advocacy, and rabies elimination programs, supported by a publication portfolio (annual reports, policy briefs, the CAHW Handbook, Holistic Grazing Planning field manual, and position papers on livestock and climate change). The underlying technology stack is methodological rather than software-driven — built on frameworks such as LEGS (Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards), One Health, and agroecology, with no proprietary technology products disclosed.

VSF International's revenue model is grant-based. The central coordination entity in Brussels employs only 7 people; the network's aggregate implementation budget ranged from 44.5 million EUR (2018) to 52.5 million EUR (2020), sourced from institutional donors including USAID/BHA, ECHO, FAO, and EU development programs, supplemented by individual donations channelled via PayPal. Go-to-market is community-led: member organizations implement projects directly through field offices, farmer organizations, and community-based animal health workers, with advocacy and awareness campaigns targeting policymakers and civil society in donor countries.

Name

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International

Legal name

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International a.i.s.b.l.

Website

https://vsf-international.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit network of 12 European and North American member organizations that supports small-scale farmers and pastoralist communities through livestock health, One Health, and agroecology programs across 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Health and Livestock Development Humanitarian Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services (AFAEANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Welfare, Handling & Stress-Reduction Programs (Protocols, Training) (AFACALAH), Herd Health Program Design & Preventive Medicine (AFACADAA), Vaccination, Parasite Control & Immunization Programs (AFACADAG), Food Animal (Bovine/Dairy/Beef) Veterinary Services (HLAMABAA)

Keywords

• Veterinary humanitarian aid
• Animal health programs
• Livestock development support
• Pastoralist community services
• One health framework

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Funding and Grants: VSF International and its member organizations generate revenue through project funding from institutional donors such as USAID, EU development programs, and government aid agencies. Projects are implemented through member NGOs in target countries.
2. Donations: Individual and organizational donations support the organization's operations and campaigns. Online donation facilities are available through PayPal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VSF International is an international network of non-profit organizations that delivers veterinary care, livestock production support, agroecological training, and humanitarian animal health interventions to small-scale farmers and pastoralist communities across 60 countries. Services are organized around four thematic programs (One Health, Community Animal Health Workers, Pastoralism, and Rabies) and delivered through 12 member organizations implementing more than 200 development and humanitarian projects annually.

Product overview

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International is an international network of non-profit organizations working in agriculture, livestock production, animal health and animal welfare. The organization offers publications (annual reports, policy briefs, technical handbooks, literature reviews), thematic programs (One Health, CAHWs, Pastoralism, Rabies), campaigns (Vaccinate for Africa), and field research activities across 55+ countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The portfolio supports small-scale farmers and pastoralist communities through technical expertise, capacity building, advocacy, and awareness raising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vaccinate for Africa: Annual international campaign launched in 2019 to collaborate with veterinary clinics in support of African livestock keepers
• CAHW Programme

Products and services

• One Health Program Program that promotes a holistic approach integrating human, animal, and environmental health for vulnerable small-scale farming and pastoralist communities.
• Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) Program Program supporting community members trained to deliver animal health care and livestock advice in rural areas where veterinary access is limited.
• Pastoralism Program Program supporting the 200-500 million people whose livelihoods depend on pastoralism, recognizing the economic, social, cultural, and environmental functions of pastoral systems.
• Rabies Elimination Program Program contributing to rabies elimination efforts in Africa, supporting the global Zero by 2030 goal through vaccination and awareness activities.
• Vaccinate for Africa Campaign Annual international campaign mobilizing veterinary clinics to support African livestock keepers with vaccination services.
• Network Field Project Implementation Delivery of development and humanitarian projects in target countries through 12 national VSF member organizations providing technical and methodological support to small-scale farmers, livestock keepers, and pastoralists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27.23 million animals treated in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership agreement renewed in 2024 for two additional years (in effect since 2020). Joint project on Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) developing competency and curricula guidelines, funded by USAID/BHA. The partnership aims to strengthen the enabling environment for CAHWs and their integration into national animal health systems.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO liaison office in Brussels collaborated on livestock-based interventions panel session. FAO recognizes VSF as key partner for LEGS implementation in the field. Collaboration on pastoralist support and food security initiatives.
• LEGS (Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEGS is the formal companion to SPHERE and helps identify appropriate livestock-related technical interventions in emergencies. VSF International participates in LEGS activities and training, with the guidelines being essential to VSF's emergency response work.
• Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSF International is a member of the NGO Cluster of GASL, contributing to policy briefs and participating in multi-stakeholder partnership meetings on sustainable livestock development.
• Vets Beyond Borders AustraliasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on publication 'Achieving Zero By 2030: VSF International contributions to rabies elimination' published September 2021.
• VSF Germany and VSF-SuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral partnership for Joint Strategy for the Greater Horn of Africa 2019-2023. Combined presence in Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia with joint development objectives aligned to SDGs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• BRAC: BRAC is one of the largest development NGOs globally, headquartered in Bangladesh with extensive programs in livestock and agriculture for smallholder farmers. It is a comparable organization in scale and methodology (community-based livestock extension, microfinance-linked animal health) though with a different geographic center of gravity.

Direct peers

• Farm Africa: Farm Africa is a UK-based charity focused on reducing poverty in eastern Africa by helping farmers grow profitable, sustainable agriculture and livestock businesses. Like VSF International, it operates at the intersection of livestock health, smallholder productivity, and agroecology across multiple African countries.
• Heifer International: Heifer International is a US-based non-profit that supports smallholder farmers through livestock provision, veterinary training, and value-chain development in developing countries. It is the most direct peer to VSF International in mission (livestock for smallholder livelihoods) and methodology (passing on gifts, community animal health worker training).
• Send a Cow: Send a Cow is a UK-based development charity that provides livestock, training, and sustainable agriculture support to smallholder farmers in Africa. Its model of using livestock (cattle, goats, poultry) as a pathway out of poverty closely mirrors VSF International's livestock-for-livelihoods approach.
• Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (AVSF): AVSF is a French non-profit association that supports smallholder farming and livestock keeping communities in developing countries. It is one of VSF International's 12 member organizations but operates as an independent legal entity with its own programs, making it a directly comparable peer in mission and service offering.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a large global humanitarian and development organization working in over 40 countries. While not livestock-specialized, it implements significant food security, agriculture, and emergency response programs that overlap with VSF International's work, especially in fragile states.
• Action Against Hunger: Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organization focused on fighting hunger and its root causes through food security, water/sanitation, and nutrition programs. Its livestock emergency response activities (often aligned with LEGS guidelines) overlap directly with VSF International's humanitarian livestock interventions.
• World Vision International: World Vision is one of the world's largest child-focused humanitarian and development NGOs, operating in nearly 100 countries. Its livelihoods, food security, and emergency response programming frequently includes livestock components that compete for the same donor pools as VSF International.
• CARE International: CARE International is a major confederation of humanitarian and development organizations working across more than 100 countries. Its food and nutrition security, climate adaptation, and smallholder agricultural programs place it as a broader incumbent with overlapping donor and policy relationships.
• Oxfam International: Oxfam is a global confederation of NGOs working on poverty, food sovereignty, and rural livelihoods in more than 90 countries. Its food sovereignty, smallholder agriculture, and climate adaptation programming places it as a broader incumbent with overlapping advocacy and field activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vsf.international
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsf-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International