This study assessed the impact of livestock projects in Jordan between 2009-2014. It found that herd sizes and milk/cheese production more than doubled. Farming systems shifted from extensive grazing to more intensive, grain-fed systems. Technology use to increase twinning rates increased from 21% to 48% of farmers. While most desired continued support for feed, health initiatives and training. Data accuracy issues highlighted the need for farmer record keeping and survey team training.

1. Livestock Impact Study
Mr. Mamoon Al Adaileh
GEF MENARID Coordinator, Agricultural Resources
Management Project Phase II

2. Background of the Study
• Issues concerning production and profitability
of livestock farmers are an important issue in
Jordan and the MENA region
• This presented an opportunity to collaborate
with ICARDA
• A survey was prepared and conducted by
ARMPPII and ICARDA

3. Collaboration
• ARMPPII staff collected and entered survey
data
• ICARDA analysed the data
• Meetings were held with ICARDA staff and
ARMPPII staff to discuss and translate the
collected data
• Survey participants were directly in the field

4. Goals of the Study
• To assess the impact of project activities on
production and profitability of livestock
farmers in the ARMPPII project area
• To gain knowledge for planning future
activities (e.g. education in new technologies,
processing of dairy products etc.)
• To continue supporting improvements in farm
production and livelihoods

5. Methodology
• Previous 2009 ARMPPII survey was reviewed and
adjusted by ARMPPII and ICARDA staff
• 186 farmers were surveyed in 5 units in Karak, Ma’an
and Tafila governorates of Jordan
• Survey data was collected, reviewed and entered into a
database by ARMPPII
• Data was analyzed by ICARDA
• 130 participants matched from both surveys in 2009
and 2014, and results were compared and analyzed
• 2014 data for 186 participants was analyzed

6. Data Collected in the Questionnaire
Types of Data Collected Example Questions
1. Breeder and
Household
Source of income, income before implementing herd activity, time engaged in herd
management, do you graze rangelands (if yes, the period (days)), do you own a
permanent farm, have you benefited from previous activities, do you want to benefit
from future activities, types of activities desired (feed, health, demonstration,
extension)
2. Herd Herd numbers (rams, ewes, female lambs, male lambs, he-goats, she-goats, female
kids, male kids), do you bring rams/he-goats from outside the herd to increase
genetics, how often that new rams/he-goats are brought (each year, each 2 years,
more than 2 years)
3. Management and
Health
Have you received information/courses in herd management and/or health (if yes,
source of information), do you wish to receive information/courses in herd
management and/or health (if yes, source of information), do you keep herd records,
vaccines given, do you control parasites, does the herd suffer from mastitis (if yes,
no. of cases)
4. Feed Do you crush barley, do you cultivate land for grazing (if yes, the size of the area
cultivated), quantities of barley and bran fed at different stages (pregnancy,
lactation, drought, joining)
5. Production Did you sell stock, milk and/or milk products in the previous year, quantities sold and
consumed and price per unit of each product (milk, jameed, ghee, newborn lambs,
fattened lambs, cull stock), quantities of milk per head before and after weaning,
average milking period after weaning, do your ewes/she-goats give birth more than
once per year, do you want your ewes/she-goats give birth more than once per year

7. Impact of Assessment
• Comparisons between 2009 and 2014 data
provided indicators of progress of production
and profitability
• Comparisons between multiple 2014 survey
questions showed innovative individuals

8. Production
• Mean herd size has
increased by 59.3 head
since 2009
• In 2009 74% of
households sold milk
and/or milk products
compared with 98% in
2014
• Milk and jameed
production has more than
doubled
• Ghee production has
tripled
0
40
80
120
160
200
2014 2009
Head(sheepandgoats)
Total Herd Size
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Total Milk
Production (kg)
Total Jameed
Production (lb)
Total Ghee
Production (kg)
2014
2009

9. Farming Systems
Question 2014 2009
% Yes % No % Yes % No
Graze rangelands 81 19 90 10
Crush barley 66 34 39 61
Cultivate land for grazing 75 25 86 14
• Since 2009 rangeland grazing has decreased, crushing barley
has increased, and cultivation of land for grazing has
decreased
• This shows the gradual change from extensive livestock
grazing systems to more intensive, higher producing fixed
farm systems, relying on grain feed

10. Adaptions to Technologies
• In 2014 48% of farmers are
using reproductive
technologies to increase
twinning rates (e.g. sponges,
hormones) compared with
21% in 2009
• Main reasons for using
technologies were to increase
income from selling stock and
to increase herd size
• Main reasons against using
technologies were fears for
increased mortality and risks
to herd health
• “Other” reasons against were
mostly because it was believed
to be ‘haram’
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1: Increased
income from
selling
newborns
2: Increased
income from
increased milk
production
3: Increase
herd numbers
(reputation
and security)
4: Advised by
experts
5: Other
Reasons for Technology Use
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1: Fear of
increased
mortality risks
for twins
2: Fear of
increased risks
to herd health
3: Advised
against using
technologies
by experts
4: Increased
costs
(technologies
and feed)
5: Other
Reasons Against Technology Use

11. Activity Beneficiaries
• 20% of farmers had
benefited from project
activities in 2009
• Now 48% have
benefited from project
activities
• Order of most to least
desired project
activities has remained
the same
• Most desired project
activity is supply of feed
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2014 2009
Farmers benefited from project
activities
No
Yes
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1. Feed 2. Health 3.
Demonstration
on Herd
4. Extension
Desired Project Activities
2014
2009

12. Challenges Faced
• Accuracy of some data was unclear
• Factors contributing to this were farmers not
keeping records, farmers measuring products
in various units
• Translation of data from Arabic to English

13. Solutions
• Obvious outliers were removed from data
• Meetings were organised for translating data
• Training survey team to recognise incorrect
data

14. Future Beneficiaries
• Training survey teams helped improve data
credibility