Livestock in rural development

The role of livestock in developing countries is quite complex and extends beyond their traditional uses to suppIy meat and milk as is invariably the case in the industrialized countries. They are multipurpose and are valued for a variety of reasons: to supply capital, credit, traction, milk, meat, hides, fuel and fertilizer. For the landless, livestock are a primary means of increasing income. For the crop farmer they provide fertilizer and increasingly for the African farmer, traction power. For the nomad, livestock represent capital and can be used as a means of obtaining credit. And for many, dung IS the only source of fuel in increasingly desertified surroundings. Production systems must take into account these varied roles, and should be adapted to specific local situations. In Strategy for sustainable livestock production in the tropics, the authors look at the role played by different animal species and at the principles of livestock production and integrated farming systems. It looks at the implications of the energy and environment crisis as we as at population growth, food production and development. Strategy for sustainable livestock production in the tropics by Thomas Preston and Enrique Murgueitio 1992 89pp ISBN 958 95215 0 2 Pbk CIPAV AA20591 Cali COLOMBIAStrategy for sustainable livestock production in the tropics by Thomas Preston and Enrique Murgueitio 1992 89pp ISBN 958 95215 0 2 Pbk CIPAV AA20591 Cali COLOMBI