In most areas of the world, poverty is still largely a rural phenomenon. Around 630 million rural poor rely on livestock for their livelihoods (Livestock In Development 1999). A key feature of livestock-keeping is the variety of ways it supports the livelihoods strategies of the poor. Livestock can provide a steady stream of food and revenues, help to raise whole farm productivity and are often the only livelihood option available to the landless as they allow the use of common-property resources for private gain. In addition, at the smallholder level, livestock are often the only means of asset accumulation and risk reduction that can prevent a slide into abject poverty by rural poor in marginal areas.
Recent statistics reveal that an estimated 70 percent of poor people are women for whom livestock play an important role in the improvement of status and represent one of the most important assets and sources of income (DFID 2000). Livestock ownership also tends to increase consumption of milk, meat and eggs - all providing essential nutrients - and creates employment opportunities within and beyond the immediate household.
Human population growth, increasing urbanization and rising incomes are predicted to double the demand for, and production of, livestock and livestock products in developing countries over the next 20 years (Delgado et al. 1999). Livestock production is growing faster than any other agricultural sub-sector and it is predicted that by 2020, livestock will produce more than half of the total global agricultural output in value terms. This process has been referred to as the ‘livestock revolution’ (Delgado et al. 1999). Important global livestock sector trends reflecting this ‘revolution’ are:
a rapid and dynamic increase in consumption of livestock products in developing countries;
a geographic shift of livestock production from temperate and dry areas to warmer, more humid and disease-prone environments;
a change in livestock production practices from a local multipurpose activity to an increasingly market-oriented and vertically integrated business;
increasing pressure on, and competition for, common property grazing and water resources;
more large-scale, industrial production units located close to urban centres, potentially causing severe environmental damage and posing public health risks;
decreasing importance of ruminant livestock species in comparison with monogastric species; and
a rapid and large rise in the use of cereal-based feed.
In spite of these trends, the majority of food, both plant and animal, currently consumed in developing countries is still produced by semisubsistence farmers. The projected growth in the demand for animal products therefore offers a unique opportunity for the rural poor since they already have a significant stake in livestock production.
|
LIVESTOCK AND THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE POOR Livestock can provide an asset base for poor households through accumulation of stock. They are often the sole instrument for savings and insurance because banks are inaccessible to the poor (World Bank 2001). Livestock, particularly small stock such as sheep, goats and poultry, can be sold to make cash available when necessary. Livestock also contribute to the social ties within a community through borrowing, sharing and lending of animals. Although many products are sold, milk, meat and eggs are consumed at home and are important sources of nutrition, particularly for children. A recent study in Kenya has shown that supplementing the diet of children with animal protein has positive effects on cognitive performance (Neumann et al. 2003). Family labour is an important asset for poor households and livestock can increase the returns to household labour. The elderly and young who are not fit to work in the field can tend livestock, and the use of draft power can free labour for other household activities. Because most farm work is seasonal, livestock can be managed to make good use of household labour in off-peak times. Keeping livestock gives the landless poor an opportunity to convert common grazing land into private assets. In many areas, household land size diminishes with each generation and many families survive on small plots. Effective use of livestock can enhance their productivity: livestock can be fed crop residues, and their manure returned to the soil to maintain fertility. Moreover, livestock keeping increases household food security by spreading farm risk through diversification, and by creating employment opportunities, both on and off the farm. |
