Heifer-in-trust, Social Protection and Graduation: Conceptual Issues and Empirical Questions

This article examines the ‘heifer-in-trust’ or ‘livestock-in-kind credit’ model through a social-protection lens. Specifically it seeks to engage with debates about the use of asset-based strategies to support graduation from social protection. Drawing on project experience with dairy goats in Ethiopia and dairy cattle in Tanzania, the article concludes that while the asset-ness of livestock may in principle allow them to make a unique contribution to livelihood transformation and thus graduation, the most obvious target group is least likely to be able to handle the demands and risks associated with livestock assets

Estimation of direct additive, maternal additive, heterotic and maternal heterotic effects from crossbreeding goats in Kenya

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Bibliography: leaves 54-59.Not availabl

Importance of the experimental setup in research on attractiveness of odours in moths : an example with Busseola fusca

Wind tunnel and Y-tube olfactometer studies are useful for demonstrating the responsiveness of male moths to sex pheromones. However, in the cereal stem borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), wind tunnel bioassays yielded poor results when the behavioural responses of females to plant odours were tested. We demonstrated that for B.fusca females, the Y-tube olfactometer was better suited for measuring the attractiveness of plant odours, compared with the wind tunnel. In particular, we showed B.fusca preference for odours of a host over a non-host plant species using this apparatus. Behavioural responses for B.fusca after host finding are also discussed

Practical crossbreeding for improved livelihoods in developing countries: The FARM Africa goat project

Successful livestock improvement programmes focusing on low-input smallholder production systems though rare, are possible using community-based approaches. This paper outlines important design and implementation components of a goat improvement programme undertaken by FARM Africa in the eastern highlands of Kenya. Through strong capacity building initiatives at grass-roots level, producers were empowered to undertake a goat genetic improvement programme that benefitted them in several ways. This resulted in the farmers forming their own umbrella organizations to cater for their interests as producers in accessing animal health and breeding services, production inputs, and marketing goats and goat products. In seven years, the population of improved goats in one of the project areas increased from 2100 to 5500, and the livelihoods of the participating farmers improved. Income from sales of milk and improved breeding and slaughter stock increased, while food security improved as a result of daily milk consumption and improved crop yields resulting from use of the rich goat manure. The project has, however, faced challenges arising mainly from the popularity of the improved goats within the Eastern Africa region, which has resulted in sale of a large number of the young animals, leaving few replacements within the project area. Uptake of goat breeding by private commercial farmers to provide breeding stock and replacement animals is currently lacking. Further research and evaluation is required on how to strengthen collective-action based institutions to improve services within smallholder farmer communities