Emerging Development Pathways of Urban Livestock Production in Rapidly Growing West Africa Cities

Regina Roessler,Serge Mpouam,Eva Schlecht,Tichaona Muchemwa

doi:10.3390/su8111199

Abstract

In this study, we try to capture the degree of specialization or integration, and of intensification or extensification, of (peri-) urban livestock production, along with the factors that influence such decisions and their impact on natural resource uses. A total of 181 and 187 structured questionnaires were completed in livestock-keeping households in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Tamale (Ghana). Categorical principal component and two-step cluster analysis were used to identify homogenous groups of livestock-keeping households. Cross tabulation and logistic regression analysis revealed factors that influence livestock husbandry, showing their impacts on resource use by livestock keepers in the two cities. A diversity of livestock species was kept, mostly integrated with crop farming. Yet, some households specialized in either sheep, pig or commercial milk production, and partly intensified their production. The decision to specialize and/or intensify livestock production is site-specific and influenced by the education level of the household head and security of land ownership. Higher inputs in livestock systems do not necessarily lead to higher outputs, and specialization inevitably leads to higher manure wastages. Therefore, links of livestock producers to crop farmers and markets for livestock manure must be strengthened to enable recycling of resources and limit negative externalities of specialized livestock production. Strategies need to be identified to improve livestock productivity by enhancing outputs as input use increases.

Highlights

The increasing demand for livestock products in developing countries is mainly driven by urbanization, a notable growth in population and increasing incomes [1,2]
The high intake of forage feed together with the low production performances in urban livestock production systems in TAM and OUA result in high methane emissions from ruminants which could be reduced through improved feeding aSunsdtaihniagbihliteyr2p01r6o,d8,u1c1t9i9on efficiency [39,40]
Specialization and intensification of livestock production take place both in urban and peri-urban areas of West-African cities, but are not necessarily closely linked phenomena: Peri-urban market-oriented pig and dairy production is mostly integrated with crop production, whereas livestock producers located in urban areas do less frequently cultivate crops

Summary

Introduction

The increasing demand for livestock products in developing countries is mainly driven by urbanization, a notable growth in population and increasing incomes [1,2]. Given the often poor rural infrastructure, a very dynamic urban and peri-urban livestock production sector has evolved in many African countries [4,5,6]. Several factors such as geographical location, livestock species and numbers, socio-economic background of livestock keepers and livestock management are important determinants of the diversity of urban and peri-urban livestock farm types [7,8,9]. In many Asian and African countries, livestock production has shifted from extensive ruminant production in rural areas to intensive pig and poultry production in peri-urban areas, close to feed markets and consumers [14]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion