Traditional livestock production systems are economically vital in many countries in Africa, but are often poorly understood. In Tanzania, men and women play different roles in the management and ownership of cattle, goats, chicken and other animals. Control of resources, decision-making and labour responsibilities all vary according to gender.

There are also important contrasts between different types of livestock production system. This diversity is often overlooked in policy initiatives and development programmes. Basing interventions on local knowledge and experience is essential if the full potential of the sector is to be realised.

Research from Sokoine University, Tanzania shows that an understanding of gender in livestock production systems is important if policies are to work effectively. The research looks at three different systems; pastoralist (livestock farmers who move around a region during different seasons), agro-pastoralist (usually meaning a permanent settlement, and combining crops and animals) and intensive systems (high population density, crop-oriented systems with animals playing a supplementary role). For each of these systems, the gender dynamics are different. Each has developed ways of managing resources efficiently, ways which are often poorly understood by outsiders.

Key areas of contrast include ownership and control of resources, the gender division of labour, and decision-making. There are many distinctions and exceptions for different areas and groups of people, but the principle findings from the study include:

• In pastoralist systems, almost all cattle belong to men. Women only control cattle allocated by men. In agro-pastoralist systems, women own some animals through inheritance. They may purchase more through income earning activities.
• In intensive systems, land and livestock are controlled by men, but women control food crops and most poultry.
• Amongst pastoralists, women milk cows and look after young animals, but most herding is done by young men. Management decisions are made by elder men.
• For the agro-pastoralist communities, management of livestock is done by men, but the processing and marketing of milk and butter is done by women. In intensive systems, women mainly look after food crops, and men tend to livestock and cash crops.
• In pastoralist communities, major decisions about animals are made by men. For agro-pastoralist systems where women control livestock they need to consult with husbands. In intensive systems, men are more likely to consult with wives over big decisions.

These findings suggest that local realities among communities managing livestock are diverse, often with complicated differences. The assumption that women and men have broadly similar needs and interests is misguided. Policy-makers and development practitioners need to look at their ideas about livestock owning groups, and make sure interventions are sensitive to diverse local situations. For example, it is important to underline that:

• Different communities, and different livestock producers and users within communities, all have different needs.
• These different needs include access to services (extension and veterinary services) and credit and access to resources (such as land, water and food).
• Livestock health problems are a major issue. It is important to work alongside local practices in coping with disease: this includes moving animals between areas, and using traditional herbs alongside modern veterinary medicine.
• Wrong assumptions about gender roles lead to inappropriate and unsustainable livestock development efforts.
• Participatory planning - building on local skills and experience - is essential if policies are to be effective in improving livestock production.

The traditional livestock sector in many countries is often overlooked in favour of the smaller, 'modern' commercial livestock industry. This misses out on a huge area of economic activity, one which is of great importance for rural livelihoods. Better planning in this field is needed: it will require sensitivity to diverse local situations, most notably the complex gender relations in many areas.  

Source(s):
'Livestock and Gender: the Tanzanian experience in different livestock production systems', FAO Links Project Case Study No 3, A.D. Maeda-Muchango, February 2003.
This is a summary of  'Gender roles, local knowledge, food security and biodiversity in different livestock production systems in Tanzania', A. D Maeda-Machangu. et al, 1999, and 'Local knowledge in animal health and production systems: gender perspectives', A. D. Maeda-Machangu et al, 1995.

Funded by: Government of Norway

id21 Research Highlight: 22 February 2005

Further Information:
Gender and Development Service
Sustainable Development Department
Food and Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di Caracella
00100 Rome
Italy

Tel: +39 06 570 51
Fax: +39 06 570 52004
Contact the contributor: links-project@fao.org

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Sokoine University, Tanzania

Other related links:
'Increasing women's role in food security in Africa'

'Men first: inheritance rights and women in rural China'

'Making the most of African agriculture'

Food and Agriculture Organization - LINKS project

'Women feed the world' - Future Harvest

Dimitra Project Rural Women and Development