Who depends on animals and why?

Over two-thirds of the population in the developing world are small-scale farmers, many of whom are, in some cases totally, dependent on livestock for their everyday survival. Livestock contribute to the income of at least 70% of the world’s poor, many of whom live in remote and harsh environments where opportunities for crop farming are limited or non-existent.

What roles do animals play in these communities?

In developing countries, animals serve many purposes for vulnerable households.

Livestock represent a form of investment and security - a ‘mobile bank account’. Animals can be acquired in good times and sold when there is a surplus or the need for cash. For example, if drought or floods wipe out a season’s food crops, livestock can be sold to provide money to buy cereal grain. Or if there is a medical emergency in the family, the income from the sale of animals can be used to cover hospital bills.

Businesses based on livestock (such as dairying) can also provide regular income, which can be used to buy food and farming materials such as tools, seeds and veterinary care.

Animals such as cattle and oxen are used to pull ploughs, enabling crop farmers to cultivate larger areas and help ensure that planting is completed before the rains start. More than half of the arable land in developing countries is cultivated with the help of animal draught power to increase crop yields. Manure and nitrogen-fixing vegetables planted to feed livestock also increase soil fertility and help to sustain higher crop production over the long-term.

Livestock also play a critical transportation role, for example carrying water for household use and produce to market. And, unlike crops, animal produce (such as milk and eggs) is not seasonal and can provide a source of nutrition all year round.

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