Integrating Socio-Economic Attributes of Rural
Communities in Small Ruminant Improvement
Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa
J.M.K. Ojango, I. Baltenweck, R. Mrode, A.W. T. Muigai, A. Haile
and A.M. Okeyo
IDF, World Dairy Summit, Istanbul, Turkey
23-26 September 2019

 Human Population (2019)
1,322,253,401 [300 million live
on less than $2 per day]
 Africa produces 5.4% of
the global milk from
cattle (FAOSTAT, 2016)
 Up to 80% of the milk
produced in Africa is
by small-holder farmers
 43% of the agricultural
workforce is female
Africa

SSA hosts 23% and 36 %
of the world sheep and goat
populations
Small Ruminant Population in
SSA is 645.4 million
Sheep and Goats in Sub-
Saharan Africa
0
20,000,000
40,000,000
60,000,000
80,000,000
100,000,000
120,000,000
140,000,000
160,000,000
180,000,000
2000 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Numberofanimals
E. Africa Sheep E. Africa Goats M. Africa Sheep M. Africa Goats
S. Africa Sheep S. Africa Goats W. Africa Sheep W. Africa Goats

Endearing Qualities of Sheep and Goats
Small body size= easily constrained
Low input requirement= less labor for maintenance
Good temperament = easy to handle and manage
Thrive on local feed resources= adaptability
Few health problems
Able to reproduce with little interventions = good fertility
Generally breed true = no drastic fluctuations in
phenotypic characteristics

Sheep and goat
production systems in
Africa
Mixed crop-livestock
Small holder
Pastoral and Transhumance Extensive
Intensive Small
holder

Questions that need to be addressed
How can we reduce the vulnerability and increase the
resilience of Livestock keepers
How can we secure livestock assets in rural communities?
How can Sheep and Goat productivity be increased?
 Livestock insurance
 Payment for environmental services
 Change livelihoods
 Manage and treat diseases
 Identify and promote adapted genotypes
 Design and institute sustainable breeding programs
 Re-seed the rangelands
 Improve management and use of water resources

Socio-Cultural Connection with Small Ruminants
There is a strong link between improvement in Sheep and Goat
productivity and improved livelihoods
There are different socio-cultural interactions between
communities and their Sheep and Goats
Men and women have differential roles, needs and priorities
as keepers of Sheep and Goats
Ownership of Sheep and Goats differs between men and
women
Gender asset disparities related to sheep and goats result from social
norms, market conditions and government policies

Functions of Sheep and Goats in Rural
Communities
Buffer in times of uncertainty
Savings for anticipated future expenses
Social Currency (bride price, life cycle events)
Consumption—nutrition for household
Income: ready cash for family use

Sheep Sustaining Pastoralists Livelihoods
 Changing Climates have increased the frequency and
severity of droughts in Pastoral systems of Eastern Africa
 Droughts notably in 2007, 2008-2009 caused very high
mortalities of Animals and loss of habitat
Flooding following drought lead to an
increase in vector borne disease
outbreaks
Dependency on food aid is high

Identify the key constraints to
access to and optimal use of
Sheep in the pastoral systems,
and determine context specific
interventions for their
improvement
Women in the communities were central in
driving the change envisioned

Roles of women in sheep and goat production
Women manage and care for animals
 Young stock, sick animals and milking
animals are often responsibility of
women
Women provide labour for feeding, and
contribute to the production of
marketable products:
Cured hides
Milk,
Dung cakes for fuel
Women contribute to strategic decision making
 Use of alternative livestock products
 Influence decision making eg on disposal/
retention of animals

Men were interested in good growth rates
as reflected in the body weight of animals
Women though interested in good growth
rates, were keen on docility and milk
production by ewes:
 For welfare of their families, women
began to milk the sheep when their
cows died (Men would not milk sheep,
but consumed sheep milk)

Opportunity for alternative products
The women were requested by a processor to
sell them their surplus sheep milk (Market
Opportunity)
The milk is used to make “Manchego” cheese
for export
A self-help women’s group was formed
around collection and marketing of sheep
milk
Ensures a minimum volume of sheep milk is
available for sale on a weekly basis
Implements hygiene and quality control standards
for the milk marketed

Resultant change in Sheep management
practices
Women requested for additional training on
management of sheep in arid environments
The women strategically influence the selection and
use of Rams within their flocks (“family planning”)
Group keeps written records on the performance of
their select animals

Sale of Sheep milk enabled women to:
Purchase household assets (new
chairs, tables, cups and plates)
Support higher education for their
children
Create employment for youth in the
collection, transportation and freezing
of the milk prior to sale

Note
Identifying value chain segments where women are found
and enhancing their value can increase women’s benefits
from Small Ruminants
The interest is often not to maximize production, but rather
to avoid risks, and cope with unexpected shocks (droughts,
diseases)
Training and capacity enhancement needs for livestock
management by men and women in communities are not
always similar
The fate of any livestock asset in a
community is closely related to its use

Concluding remarks
Gender differences in ownership and use of livestock can
be optimally used to impact communities
A Gender transformative approach to research in
development helps to promote equitable progress
A Key difference in the value of livestock to communities in
Africa emanates from the Opportunities availed through
exposure.
“Our Challenge is to create opportunities and change lives”

Acknowledgements
 Livestock keepers in Africa
 ILRI Kapiti ranch

This presentation is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
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