Impact of intensification of different types of livestock production in smallholder crop-livestock systems

Abstract

Intensification of livestock production is widely advocated to meet the increasing demands for livestock products and to contribute to improving the livelihoods of rural households. This paper discusses the impact of livestock intensification on smallholder farms using village poultry, integrated agriculture–aquaculture systems, small ruminants, and dairying case-studies. Driving forces for intensification in crop-livestock systems act at international, national, regional, and agro-eco system levels. Whether or not individual households respond to these drivers depends on the availability of household resources, the family situation, and livelihood alternatives. As livestock systems intensify, the relative importance of the various functions of livestock changes. The case-studies confirmed that, in terms of ‘returns’, there is a livestock ladder with the smallest benefits accruing from village poultry and the largest benefits provided by dairy cattle. Small animals are an appreciated secondary activity, or an essential source of security and small income for the very poor. The potential of intensification of small animal systems to substantially increase incomes of rural households appears to be low. Nevertheless, small animals are more suitable for micro-credit and livestock loans-in-kind programmes than large ruminants. Innovations in livestock production will only be adopted by smallholders if they fit farming household priorities and resources.