Effects of livestock ownership typology on household food security in rural Lesotho

Abstract

This study examines how various livestock ownership typologies affect household food security in rural Lesotho, a developing nation marked with poverty and food insecurity. Despite the significance of livestock to food security, little study has been done in this area. The study divides households into four typologies of livestock ownership, ranging from none to varied animal herds, using data from 2,014 rural households. The study uses analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a mixed effect ordered probit model to examine the connections between these typologies and food security. In comparison to typology I (no livestock ownership), the results show that ownership typologies III (moderate small ruminants and poultry) and IV (big mixed poultry, small, and large animals) have a beneficial impact on household food security. The study advances our understanding of how different livestock species and herd sizes affect food security. It emphasizes the importance of nuanced and context-specific approaches when employing livestock to improve household food security, advising development and intervention programs to take into account the delicate interplay between livestock ownership and food security among the target population. Thus, intervention programs must carefully consider the complex and context-specific relationship between livestock ownership and food security.