Poster prepared by Sirak Bahta for the ILRI APM 2013, Addis Ababa, 15-17 May 2013

1. Unlocking livestock development potential through science, influence and capacity development
ILRI APM, Addis Ababa, 15-17 May 2013
Developing capacity Influencing decisions
Compe''ve
smallholder
Livestock
in
Botswana
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May
2013
3 strategic lessons on:
1. There
is
high
demand
for
training
of
agricultural
extension
workers,
par'cularly
for
commercial
applica'on
of
scien'fic
knowledge.
2. Suppor'ng
a
local
partner
for
in-­‐service
and
con'nuing
educa'on
will
be
cost
effec've
and
boost
capacity.
1. An
en're
case
for
small
stock
must
be
made,
as
their
contribu'on
to
livelihoods
is
not
recognized.
2. Policy
advocacy
has
been
shared
with
a
local
ins'tute
with
a
string
track
record
across
many
economic
sectors.
Sirak
Bahta,
Interna'onal
Livestock
Research
Ins'tute
(ILRI),
Gaborone,
Botswana
s.bahta@cgiar.org
Delivering science
Background
Botswana
is
characterized
as
semi-­‐arid,
with
erra'c
rainfall.
Most
of
its
581,730
sq.
km
surface
area
is
natural
rangeland
suitable
for
extensive
livestock
grazing.
Beef
exports
to
the
EU
provide
the
basis
for
the
rural
economy.
The
smallholder
farming
system
primarily
uses
communal
grazing
systems
with
a
combina'on
of
caXle
and
small
stock
(sheep
and
goats).
However,
smallholder
livestock
produc'vity
and
offtake
are
very
low
and
the
sector
is
challenged
by
high
mortality
rate.
Supply
of
quality
beef
animals
to
the
parastatal
exporter
(Botswana
Meat
Commission,
BMC)
is
limited
and
the
local
markets
for
beef
and
other
ruminant
meats
feature
high
prices
due
to
limited
supply.
In
general,
incen'ves
for
value
addi'on
in
pursuit
of
these
markets
are
limited
and
there
is
liXle
innova'on
in
the
value
chain,
par'cularly
for
small
stock.
Although
past
policy
and
research
have
focused
on
the
beef
export
sector,
rather
liXle
informa'on
has
been
generated
on
the
circumstances
and
poten'al
of
smallholder
caXle
owners
and
the
households
that
earn
livelihoods
from
sheep
and
goats.
This
leaves
strategies
and
investments
for
rural
development
and
livelihood
genera'on
without
a
basis
in
data
and
analysis.
Iden'fica'on
of
interven'ons
to
improve
the
compe''veness
of
the
smallholder
sector
requires
study
of
the
value
chain.
This
entails
a
thorough
explora'on
of
the
country’s
markets
and
market
actors,
the
role
of
key
players,
and
the
cri'cal
constraints
that
limit
livestock
produc'vity.
Although
Botswana’s
caXle
trade
situa'on
is
much
analysed,
its
produc'on
and
marke'ng
base
has
received
liXle
aXen'on,
and
the
local
market
has
not
been
studied
at
all.
Goals
Project
goals
Ø To
beXer
define
smallholder
livestock
produc'on
systems
and
to
iden'fy
the
factors
affec'ng
the
produc'vity
of
smallholder
livestock
producers
and
assess
their
compe''veness
Ø To
understand
and
improve
condi'ons
for
market
par'cipa'on
and
value
addi'on
in
markets
for
livestock,
livestock
products
and
inputs
Ø To
strengthen
the
capacity
of
agricultural
educa'on
and
extension
Focus
The
project
will
explore
the
exis'ng
value
chains
and
their
compe''veness,
and
their
capacity
to
benefit
smallholders.
Partners
Botswana
Ministry
of
Agriculture
(MoA)
Botswana
Ins'tute
for
Development
Policy
Analysis
(BIDPA)
Botswana
College
of
Agriculture
(BCA)
1. Government
agencies
focus
only
on
export
value
chains,
and
have
liXle
informa'on
on
small
stock
and
local
markets.
2. Innova'on
in
small
stock
demands
new
informa'on
in
understandable
format.
3. Exis'ng
scien'fic
research
is
liXle-­‐
informed
by
economics.
Prices
in
different
channels
Consumers’
stated
preferences
Producers’
percep6ons
of
consumers’
preferences