Including the Voices of the Poor

Research Project

Project ID: R8213

Title	Including the Voices of the Poor: Developing a decision-making framework for livestock disease prioritisation and the uptake of animal health technologies by poor livestock keepers.
Species	Non-specific
Commodity	Non-specific
Livestock Keeper Group	Smallstock Keepers, Crop Livestock Farmers
Production System	Semi-Arid
Country or Region	India, Kenya
Research Theme	Animal Health
Research Approach	Strategic Research
Funding Agency	DFID Animal Health Research Programme

Summary

In recent years those involved in development have recognised the need to prioritise efforts in order to increase the impact of activities on poverty alleviation.
There is now a concerted effort to direct livestock development research activities at poverty alleviation but there are a number of potential stumbling blocks. First, little information exits as to how the poor
prioritise livestock-related livelihoods in general or livestock disease more specifically. Secondly, the parameters important to the uptake of animal health technologies are often not known.

Primary Relevance	Low - High
Feeding and Nutrition
Animal Health
Commodities and Markets
Other Husbandry
Policy Relevance

Documents

Project Summary

There is now a concerted effort to direct livestock development research activities at poverty alleviation but little information exits on that groups priorities and specifically on which parameters are important to the uptake of animal health technologies.

This project aims to create an integrated, animal health prioritisation framework, which is directly based upon the issues and problems outlined by poor livestock keepers themselves in India, Kenya and Bolivia. The project will produce a decision-making tool, an assessment of socio-cultural constraints and promote communication links useful to poor families.

Project scientists have found that priorities for animal health differ significantly between the poor and experts. Priority differences also exist between women and men and between income levels groups within communities.

A computer-based learning aid for farmers "The Livestock Guru" has been developed to help poor Indian farmers to identify key diseases and obtain prevention and treatment information. The format is being adapted for Kenya where it will become the 'Daktari'.