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Dear colleagues When considering the relationship between agricultural growth and poverty, it is important to take account of trends and prospects in the livestock sector. Projections made by IFPRI (already referred to by Andy Catley) suggest that by 2020 the livestock sector will account for more than half of total global agricultural output in financial terms. Rapid livestock sector growth is evident in many less developed countries. Professor Sattar Mandal, in his contribution, has already referred to this phenomenon in Bangladesh, and made specific reference to the poultry and dairy sub-sectors. I have posted a short paper on the website that makes particular reference to (similar) trends in India. Much of this increased output is destined for domestic markets, but there are opportunities for international trade (as Andy Catley mentioned). This 'livestock revolution' presents both opportunities and threats for poverty reduction. In India and many other LDCs the majority of rural people, including the poor, own some livestock. These livestock may have productive uses and, as liquid assets, they also reduce people's vulnerability to shocks, such as drought or family illness. In principle, poor producers could benefit from the increasing demand through higher prices for their products. However, there has been a general trend towards industrialisation of the livestock sector and most of the growth until now seems to have been associated with larger-scale production units. If the products from these larger units are substantially cheaper this could represent a threat for poor livestock producers. If the livestock revolution is to have a positive outcome in terms of poverty reduction, governments (with the support of donors such as DFID) need to ensure that there is a conducive enabling environment for pro-poor livestock development. This includes appropriate policies, laws, programmes and livestock services. (Andy Catley's contribution also points to the need for appropriate international health standards for trade in livestock products.) It is also important to strengthen the voice of poor livestock producers in policy-making processes. In my paper on the website I briefly describe the livestock enabling environment in India, concluding that there is plenty of scope for making it more pro-poor. Livestock services tend to be biased in favour of better-off livestock producers. Relevant policies and programmes include forest policy and watershed development programmes, where there has been a tendency to restrict or ban grazing, which has had a negative effect on small ruminant production in particular. As goats and sheep (along with chickens) are species that are particularly important to poor people, these measures have been anti-poor. Livestock research and development work in India by the Natural Resources Institute and others has demonstrated that there is considerable potential for improving the productivity and competitiveness of small-scale goat and poultry-keeping with simple low-cost technologies (see paper for further information). A pro-poor research and extension system geared to developing and disseminating such technologies, combined with more pro-poor policies and programmes, could make a significant contribution to poverty reduction in India, and probably in most LDCs. DFID should give all of these matters (policies, livestock services, programmes) high priority in its country programmes, and should ensure that its staff are aware of the contribution that livestock can make to development and poverty reduction. It should also continue to: (a) support the work of FAO's Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative, and (b) fund its own pro-poor livestock research. Czech Conroy Czech Conroy Reader in Rural Livelihoods Livelihoods and Institutions Group Natural Resources Institute University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB United Kingdom [Direct line: 44 1634 883057] [Direct fax: 44 1634 883377] ============================================================= To send a reply to this message that goes to all list members, make sure that you send your reply to <address removed> To unsubscribe from this list, send an email to "<address removed>", with the message body: unsubscribe growth-and-poverty <your-email-address>
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