Gender, smallholder livestock production, improvement and conservation in Africa A R T I C L E I N F O (original) (raw)
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2014
Livestock is a dominant agricultural activity in Africa, which is generally considered a key asset for most rural livelihoods and food security. This discussion is a synthesis of counter productive gender disparities in livestock production, focusing on issues of ownership, decision making and access to productive resources, and how these may influence livestock production. Livestock production in general, offers advantages over other agricultural activities and has been used as an entry point for promoting gender balance. However, the contribution of livestock production to household welfare in most cases has been insignificant due to various gender disparities. There are many measures which need to be explored with the aim of making the livestock systems become driving forces of rural household economies. Through the 'gender lens' the discussion also examines the roles, activities, responsibilities, opportunities and constraints of women in livestock production which compromise the achievement of greater equality between women and men within their spheres of interaction in household livestock production. One of the major factors responsible for the declining livestock productivity in rural areas is the relegation to the background of the contributions of women in the issues of livestock production. In this discussion, some of the strategic steps that can be adopted for future viable livestock production, include and not limited to the following: promotion of gender equality and equity in livestock production Contents lists available at Sjournals
Scientific Journal of Animal Science, 2014
Livestock is a dominant agricultural activity in Africa, which is generally considered a key asset for most rural livelihoods and food security. This discussion is a synthesis of counter productive gender disparities in livestock production, focusing on issues of ownership, decision making and access to productive resources, and how these may influence livestock production. Livestock production in general, offers advantages over other agricultural activities and has been used as an entry point for promoting gender balance. However, the contribution of livestock production to household welfare in most cases has been insignificant due to various gender disparities. There are many measures which need to be explored with the aim of making the livestock systems become driving forces of rural household economies. Through the ‘gender lens’ the discussion also examines the roles, activities, responsibilities, opportunities and constraints of women in livestock production which compromise th...
Gender issues in livestock production: a case study of Zimbabwe
Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2009
The importance of main streaming gender issues in development programmes is now recognized by governments and development agents. This paper evaluates the role of gender in smallholder livestock production using Zimbabwe as a case study. It draws on several studies and assesses the gender dimension in terms of access and control, decision making and, division of labour. It is shown that for mainly traditional and historical reasons men continue to dominate livestock production although the situation is gradually changing. Men eclipse women in terms of ownership of more valuable stock, the making of decisions and the control of livestock production. This suggests that gender is important in livestock production and must be considered among other factors. The complexity of the system is noted but more gender disaggregated quantitative data is required if gender is to be effectively mainstreamed in livestock development programmes.
2015
Women are powerful but often neglected agents of change, and their leadership is critical: they play a significant role in decision-making within households, including decision-making about animal care, the use of livestockfarming by-products and household food security. As key actors in the agricultural sector, women play a vital role in addressing and leading efforts to improve local economic growth by farming with livestock and improving livestock health, thereby contributing to household food security. Gender perspectives on livestock farming and disease prevention (i.e. mitigation, adaptation, policy development, decision-making) are urgently needed to improve the broad human and social dimensions of farming systems. Drawing on insights from a recent baseline study and multiple studies in Africa and elsewhere, this policy brief addresses the importance of gender considerations for small-scale livestockfarming communities in relation to food security in the South African context...
Women are powerful but often neglected agents of change, and their leadership is critical: they play a significant role in decision-making within households, including decision-making about animal care, the use of livestockfarming by-products and household food security. As key actors in the agricultural sector, women play a vital role in addressing and leading efforts to improve local economic growth by farming with livestock and improving livestock health, thereby contributing to household food security. Gender perspectives on livestock farming and disease prevention (i.e. mitigation, adaptation, policy development, decision-making) are urgently needed to improve the broad human and social dimensions of farming systems. Drawing on insights from a recent baseline study and multiple studies in Africa and elsewhere, this policy brief addresses the importance of gender considerations for small-scale livestockfarming communities in relation to food security in the South African context. The brief examines some of the key elements of gender in relation to small-scale livestock farming, asks how some of these important elements align with current policies and practices, and makes a number of focused policy recommendations. Women, small-scale agriculture and food security in a global context
The role of gender in ensuring an enhanced integrated crop-livestock production system in West Africa cannot be underestimated. This paper is based on data generated from the baseline survey for the crop-livestock project from 960 households across Gambia, Mali, Ghana and Benin. It highlights the contribution of gender towards achieving an integrated crop-livestock system in West Africa. Results revealed that females play an active role in grain and fodder marketing such that 11.80%, 41.70%, 46.40% and 66.90% of legumes grain marketing in Gambia, Mali, Ghana and Benin respectively were carried out by females. Females were also active in drying, harvesting and sowing. Despite their active participation in production, their role in decision making as to when to sell livestock was limited. Only 17.0%, 5.4%, 13.0% and 47.4% of females in Gambia, Mali, Ghana and Benin respectively took part in decision making as to when to sell livestock in the household. Their role in deciding how to sp...
Smallholder livestock production systems continue to play a key role in African agriculture. Although smallholder livestock production systems have had their own share of success, the truth of the matter is that more needs to be done to make them more vibrant, sustainable and reliable. With this in mind, achieving sustainable smallholder livestock production with emphasis on satisfying basic human needs, improving people’s standard of living, enhancing food security and reducing poverty pose a surmountable task in Africa. There are many measures which need to be explored with the aim of making the smallholder livestock systems become driving forces of African economies. Some of the strategic steps that can be adopted for future viable smallholder livestock production systems include and not limited to the following: promotion of gender equality and equity in smallholder livestock production systems, and intensifying activities that support or encourage the utilization of indigenous ...
Understanding intra-household gender disparities of smallholder livestock production in Zambia
2019
Despite the importance of livestock in smallholder livelihood, gender inequalities continue to persist. Studies on gender disparities in livestock ownership often base their analysis on the concept of headship, but his approach is limited as it fails to adequately account for women within male-headed households. By disaggre- gating households into i) those with both male and female adults, ii) only female adults, iii) only male adults, in this study we analyze livestock gender disparities in terms of cultivated land size, crop income, culture, and production activities, using survey data from 7,934 households and in-depth interviews with 271 households in Zambia. Our ndings show that fewer female household members own livestock than male members, and more households with only male adults own livestock than those with only female adults. To understand intra-household gender disparities, it is necessary to address the structural challenges women face, to raise awareness about these is...
2018
CGIAR is a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food-secure future. The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock provides research-based solutions to help smallholder farmers, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists transition to sustainable, resilient livelihoods and to productive enterprises that will help feed future generations. It aims to increase the productivity and profitability of livestock agri-food systems in sustainable ways, making meat, milk and eggs more available and affordable across the developing world. The Program brings together five core partners: the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) with a mandate on livestock; the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), which works on forages; the International Center for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), which works on small ruminants and dryland systems; the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) with expertise particularly in animal health and genetics and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) which connects research into development and innovation and scaling processes. The Program thanks all donors and organizations who globally supported its work through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.