Using process net-map to analyse governance challenges: A case study of livestock vaccination campaigns in Zambia

The outbreak of livestock diseases in Sub-Saharan African countries is the most critical challenge affecting the development potential of the livestock sector. Vaccination campaigns are one of the most important strategies to deal with this challenge. However, such campaigns are difficult to implement due to major governance challenges, such as delays in the procurement of vaccines and the disbursement of funds. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of these governance challenges, based on a case study of a Livestock Development Animal Health Project in Zambia. The goal was to examine in detail why these problems occur and how they are linked to the implementation procedure. A novel qualitative research tool called Process Net-Map, which is a visual participatory mapping technique was applied. The tool made it possible to develop an understanding of the exact implementation mechanism and to identify the different actors involved, including government officials, private sector companies, and farmers. The study revealed that the complex design of the procurement procedure, the limited capacity of the procuring entity, and a lack of urgency among the actors involved, resulted in the procurement delays. The findings also indicate that the delay in the release of funds arises because of a diversion of funds. Some strategies to improve the efficiency of the procurement process were identified, such as increasing the sense of urgency, building staff capacity, using e-procurement and entering into framework contracts with suppliers. Building sustainable financial capacity in the overall management of public funds seems essential to deal with the challenge of fund diversion. Use of Citizen Report Cards and lobbying political decision markers are some of the mechanisms that farmers can employ to increase their capacity to hold the animal health service providers accountable and demand better services. The problems identified are not only relevant for vaccination programs but are general implementation challenges encountered in developmental programs that involve the distribution of publicly procured inputs.