Small ruminants in Asia; Contribution to food security, poverty alleviation and opportunities for productivity enhancement

Small ruminants (goats and sheep) form an important economic and ecological niche in agricultural systems throughout the developing countries. Their current contribution is not commensurate with the potential capacity for higher levels of production. The context for productivity enhancement and increased socioeconomic contribution relates to large population size, wide distribution across various agro-ecological zones and production systems and diversity of breeds. The populations of goats and sheep in Asia are 390.4 x 10 and 250.3 x 10, respectively, of which about 57% and 23% of the total world population of goats and sheep are found in Asia, including 55 % of all goats and 39 % of sheep breeds in China, India and Pakistan. There exist about 146 breeds of goats and 233 breeds of sheep in Asia out of a world total of 570 and 1314 breeds, respectively. The advantages and disadvantages of small ruminants are enumerated with reference to adaptation and environment, small size, production systems, products and interactions with the environment. The benefits and attributes of the foods from both species (meat and meat products and goat milk) are enumerated, emphasising also the contribution to nutritional and food security. At the national level, priority attention is essential to build up numbers in concerted breeding programmes, to include selection for reproduction and meat production, improvements to traditional markets and marketing systems. Postproduction systems and improvements involve collection, handling, marketing, slaughter facilities and consumer requirements. To shift subsistence production to a more market-oriented opportunity, affirmative action is necessary, backed by official policy support, institutional commitment and increased resource use that can target poverty and directly improve the livelihoods of the poor. These efforts together constitute the challenges for both the owners and producers and national governments to accelerate increased contribution of small ruminants in the future.