Heifer International’s Dilip Bhandari wins AVMA global veterinary award

Heifer International says Dr. Dilip Bhandari will receive the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2026 Global Veterinary Service Award for work expanding animal health care for smallholder farmers. The honor spotlights community-based veterinary models that aim to improve livestock health, livelihoods and food security across rural communities.

Why it matters: - Dr. Dilip Bhandari’s work targets a major barrier for smallholder farmers: access to affordable animal health care. - Better livestock care can improve animal productivity, household income and nutrition in rural communities. - The award highlights community-based veterinary systems as a practical model for places where veterinarians are scarce.

What happened: - Heifer International announced that Dr. Dilip Bhandari, senior director of programs, has been selected for the 2026 American Veterinary Medical Association Global Veterinary Service Award. - AVMA will present the award at its annual convention in July. - The award recognizes outstanding service by a member who has contributed to international understanding of veterinary medicine. - AVMA said Bhandari is being honored for building community-based animal health systems for smallholder farming communities.

The details: - Bhandari graduated from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. - He began his career training community-based animal health workers in Nepal before joining Heifer International in 2006. - He now leads animal health, livestock and One Health programs from the U.S. across more than 20 countries where Heifer operates. - His work has focused on bringing reliable, affordable animal care to farmers who live far from the nearest veterinarian. - Bhandari is known for advancing the Community Animal Health Worker approach. - The CAHW model trains village-level people to provide basic animal first aid, vaccination and preventive care under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. - At Heifer International, Bhandari led development of the Community Agro-Veterinarian Entrepreneur model. - The CAVE model equips local providers to deliver animal health services while earning a sustainable livelihood. - Many CAVE providers are women, creating a path to economic opportunity in their communities. - Surita Sandosham, president and CEO of Heifer International, said Bhandari’s work has helped improve the livelihoods and nutrition of millions of smallholder farming households. - Bhandari said the recognition also reflects Heifer International’s commitment to animal health and sustainable livestock development for smallholder farmers worldwide.

Between the lines: - The recognition points to growing interest in decentralized animal health systems that can work in remote areas. - Heifer International is positioning community animal health workers as part of a broader rural development strategy, not just a livestock program. - The focus on women in the CAVE model suggests the program is also being used to expand economic participation. - IFAD says at least 60% of rural households in low- and middle-income countries depend on livestock for food and income, underscoring the scale of the issue. - In 2025, Heifer International trained more than 275,000 program participants, including 2,377 community animal health workers, on livestock management and animal health principles.

What's next: - AVMA will formally present the award at its annual convention in July. - Heifer International is expected to continue scaling community-based animal health training across its program countries. - The CAVE and CAHW models are likely to remain central to Heifer’s livestock and One Health work.

The bottom line: - The award puts global attention on a simple idea with wide reach: train trusted local workers to deliver basic animal care where veterinarians are out of reach.