LIVESTOCK EXTENSION (A CASE STUDY)

Abstract

Livestock extension” is usually taken to mean doing production-type extension work with livestock such as nutrition, animal health, and animal management.  Usually the direct beneficiary of the input is the animal owner.  The USAid-funded Balochistan Agricultural Project (BAP) accepts this traditional view.  In addition, it recognizes that for most animal producers, the purpose of rearing the animal is to sell it.  For many animal producers, the Eid Livestock Mandis is a critical selling period.  BAP has facilitated the introduction of community-managed Eid Livestock Mandis in four sites in Balochistan.  A heavy component of the Project’s extension efforts was to provide management and financial training to the communities involved.  One of the sites is now totally community operated with the others moving to total community ownership and management in a programed manner.  As a result of the initiative, more animal producers with only a few animals have participated in the marketing process with higher returns and lower costs.   Present manuscript analyzed and described the process that led to the current situation and provide hard data to illustrate the gains from the process.