RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LIVESTOCK : TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESACHIEVING COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE TRANSFRONTIER CONSERVATION AREA CONCEPT AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY ANIMAL DISEASES

KASANE, BOTSWANA, 11-14 NOVEMBER 2008

William Wolmer (wwolmer@f2s.com)

Outline Livestock and livelihoods Transboundary animal diseases – what’s

the problem for smallholders? The livestock revolution Beef, smallholders and wildlife in SADC

region New contexts for beef production – good

and bad news Marketing/disease control scenarios TFCAs – opportunities and threats

Livestock and livelihoods WDR 2008: most rural

households and 40% of poorest households own livestock

Food, milk, draught power, manure, transport, clothing, ut-ensils, fuel, social safety nets, cultural resources and means of saving – red meat trade not main focus

Closely correlated to crop production

Livestock (not only cattle) important to diff people (men/women; wealthy/poor) at diff stages in demographic cycle

Complex sharing and loaning systems exist

FMD: same disease, different response

Source: DEFRA, UK and Dr Peter Roeder, FAO, Rome

Why the overreaction?

Livestock Revolution

Rising affluence, particularly in Asia, brings growing global demand for milk, meat and other livestock products

Livestock sector in developing world growing at 7% p.a. Milk and meat production to double by 2050 (FAO)

African Union: livestock is a ‘sunrise sector’ – livestock a route out of poverty through access to high-value export markets (see African horticultural experience)

But, African countries: 2% of global trade in livestock products. Africa imports US$2.2billion/year more livestock products than exports

EU imports of beef and live animals 2007

Source: DG AGRI, European Commission 31.10.08

SADC: Competing or complementary sectors?

Smallholder agropastora

lismCommerci

al beef productio

n

Wildlife and touris

m

• Dualistic systems• Fences and zones

At the interface...

Farmers Weekly UK 31.10.08Elephants damage crops and veterinary fence, Zimbabwe.

(Courtesy IUCN-ROSA)

SADC: Competing or complementary sectors?

Smallholder agropastora

lismCommerci

al beef productio

n

Wildlife and touris

m

New contexts for beef production – the bad news: Rising costs of compliance with product

quality and food safety standards Demise of ACP preferential agreements -

EPAs South American competition – low cost, high

yielding, less daunting veterinary challenges (no buffalo)

Emergence of large multiple retailers with private standards regimes

Capacity of veterinary services

... But its not all bad: New markets – Asia, Middle East, Russia Multiple retailers – opportunities for value-

added branding and farm assurance schemes (‘green’ or ‘ethical’ certification)

Regional, urban, local market opportunities New ideas for appropriate disease control

gaining ground (FMD freedom with vaccination; compartmentalisation; commodity-based trade)

TFCAs – some personal reflections Paradigm shift in conservation – beyond the reserves

to the ‘lived-in’ landscape. Barriers to corridors. Potential to provide further livelihood opportunities for

some although extensive wildlife management remains unsuited to smallholder mixed farming systems (other than as joint ventures)

But how much further employment will tourism generate? A fickle industry in context of global economic downturn

Must provide sufficient incentives to accommodate wildlife costs (as with EU environmental stewardship experience)

Open borders for local populations as well as tourists and animals?

TFCAs could sit comfortably alongside many of the new beef marketing and disease control scenarios outlined

Conclusions Goal: (high return), resilient and safe livestock

production and marketing systems alongside vibrant tourism sector – biosphere that sustains full ecological functions and retains its living diversity

Approaches not reliant on area-based disease freedom open up the potential for greater market participation by poorer producers and offer degree of compatibility with transfrontier conservation

Not either/or – need combination of options; no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution

Build resilience