The contribution of livestock to smallholder livelihoods: the situation in Mexico

Abstract

Animals make an important contribution to livelihoods in smallholder farming systems throughout the developing world. In these systems there is often a dynamic interaction between livestock and crops (Powell et al., 1998). They also represent a number of other benefits to the farming family. Livestock are a major source of savings, add value to a number of resources that could not otherwise be utilized by the farming family, for example the feed biomass (weeds, straw, cultivated forages, common grazing areas, surplus grain), by transforming it into valuable products (meat, milk, eggs) for consumption and sale; or the provision of services (draught and pack power). They also enable members of the household to add value to their own labour. Women, children and the elderly are usually responsible at least partially for the care of animals, and many of them would not be able to find remunerated activities given their other responsibilities (e.g. domestic responsibilities of women), time devoted to the activity (e.g. school children who tend the animals before and after school), or due to old age (Arriaga-Jordán, 1996).