Small Livestock, Food Security, Nutrition Security and HIV/AIDS Mitigation

Abstract

Livestock contribute to people’s livelihoods in many ways, and their contributions tend to be particularly important for poorer people. These include source of cash income, liquid asset, inputs to crop production (draught power and manure), diversification of risk/ buffer to crop production, cultural value (livestock may be sacrificed at the time of a certain festival) and source of food (Conroy, 2005). Sale of livestock and their products can be a valuable source of income. For example, animals, especially small livestock (i.e., goats, sheep, poultry and rabbits) can be sold to meet immediate family needs such as food, clothing, medical expenses, school fees etc. Livestock play an important role in supporting the social and economic safety nets of households and communities. They are central to people’s livelihoods, food security and nutrition; they act as a “bank” to be called upon in times of stress or need (either sold, traded, or slaughtered). Also, livestock are central in many of the major events of life, i.e. birth ceremonies, weddings and funerals. However, it appears that little is known about how traditional community institutions, particularly around livestock production (e.g. women’s poultry groups, grazing support and dairy cooperatives) are holding up under the stress induced by HIV and AIDS and related chronic illnesses (FAO, 2003). The study of Mutenje et al. (2008) in the Muzarabani and Bindura districts of Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe found that livestock, particularly poultry and smallstock (sheep and goats), play a significant role in smoothing income fluctuations due to HIV and AIDS. The workers reported that about 90% of HIV and AIDS-afflicted households, headed mainly by women or children, used poultry and goats as consumption-smoothing strategies when faced with negative income shocks. Africa is the hardest hit continent in the world in terms of HIV epidemic (Topouzis, 1999; FAO, 2005). The HIV and AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognised as development disaster threatening poverty reduction, economic growth and not merely a health issue (Mohiddin & Johnson, 2006). HIV and AIDS affects households’ nutrition by decreasing food consumption and impairing nutrient absorption (Hanze et al., 2005). According to FAO (2005), people that live with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) have special nutritional needs to assist them to remain active and productive workers and to ward off the opportunistic infections that accompany the disease and in prolonging their lives. The PLWHA need good nutrition to stay