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Demand for animal products in Latin America is increasing, and markets are growing, so small-scale producers in some of the dry areas have the opportunity to meet this demand by producing higher quality animals and animal products. The International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and its partners are introducing low-cost technologies to help farmers increase goat and sheep production. A report from Luis Iñiguez et al.
In the low rainfall areas of Latin America crop production is limited and cattle are expensive to buy and maintain. Smallscale farmers, therefore, have little option but to raise sheep and goats for income generation. Studies, however, showed that the quality and uniformity of animals and animal products has not satisfied demand. So ICARDA and its partners decided to set up four project sites to promote new ideas.
The four sites chosen were in Brazil (Boqueirao in Pernambuco State, and Boa Vista in Quixada, Ceara State), and in Mexico (San Jose de la Pena in San Luis Potosí State and Panuco in Zacatecas State). After four years, the results are encouraging. Practical, lowcost technologies for improving nutrition and productivity have been tested jointly by farmers, researchers and extension staff. Communities have been trained in improved animal husbandry methods, and adoption is growing.
Understanding the market
Most of the farmers lack any commercial experience and therefore don't really appreciate the needs of the market. In San Jose de la Pena, for example, farmers produce cabritos (suckling kids) and goat cheese, but quality is poor. There is, however, a growing demand for cheese in Mexico. In Boa Vista, Brazil, too, farmers are being encouraged to scale up milk production, but small, resourcepoor producers haven't the experience to do this.
One common problem: supply-demand relationships do not always mean higher profits. Small-scale producers respond to market demand by expanding production - but they receive only a small share of the extra benefits. For example, meat is in great demand in north-east Brazil and in the dry areas of Mexico, but farmers are unable to produce large groups of uniform animals to meet this demand.
Better feed, greater opportunities
Most dry areas face severe shortage of feed in the dry season. The project is testing a combination of...