An alternative vision of livestock development for the poor

This discussion paper by Ilse Köhler-Rollefson criticizes the dominant approach to livestock development, which focuses on cash and productivity, and focuses on the animals rather than on the people who keep them.

It offers an alternative, “endogenous” approach, basing development on livestock keeper’s own knowledge and resources, with appropriate inputs from outside.

The paper concludes that following in the tracks of Northern livestock development may be disastrous for developing countries that cannot absorb rural poor into the urban labour force.

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Lobbying by LIFE-Network India, an alliance of NGOs and pastoralist groups, is beginning to bear fruit as policy changes that benefit indigenous livestock and rural livelihoods.

For example, the scope of the “Recognition of Forest Rights Bill 2005”, that originally only gave rights to forest-dwelling tribes, was expanded to include the grazing rights of nomadic and settled pastoralist communities in forests. This legislation was passed by parliament on 7 December, 2006.

The National Draft Policy on Farmers emphasises the close relationship between livestock keeping, sustainable livelihoods, and access to grazing land. It spells out the need for securing pastoralists’ forest grazing rights, including in national parks and other protected areas.

An increasing number of Indian government actors are starting to take notice of the role of pastoralists as custodians of livestock breeds and their role on conserving biodiversity.

Further details 27 kb

Conserving animal biodiversity and creating rural employment can go hand in hand – an Indian NGO is showing the way.

Camels are part of the past? Not according to Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan, a Rajasthan-based NGO and LPP partner.

The Indian NGO is running a project to boost the value of camel products such as milk and ice cream. Camel milk, the “white gold of the desert”, is highly nutritious and is used traditionally to treat tuberculosis and typhoid. According to scientists, it may also have a positive effect on patients with HIV/AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Further details 63 kb