Presented by J.M.K. Ojango, I. Baltenweck, R. Mrode, A.W. T. Muigai, A. Haile and A.M. Okeyo at the IDF, World Dairy Summit, Istanbul, Turkey, 23-26 September 2019
Integrating socio-economic attributes of rural communities in small ruminant improvement programs in sub-Saharan Africa
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. Sheep and goat
production systems in
Africa
Mixed crop-livestock
Small holder
Pastoral and Transhumance Extensive
Intensive Small
holder
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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)
13. 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
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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
17. 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”
19. This presentation is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
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