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ILRI research supporting smallholder pig farmers in Asia. What did we know before?. The Context Increasing demand for livestock products notably pig meat. Structural transformation in livestock sector; scaling up of production units while large majority still remains small.
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ILRI research supportingsmallholder pig farmers in Asia What did we know before? • The Context • Increasing demand for livestock products notably pig meat. • Structural transformation in livestock sector; scaling up of production units while large majority still remains small. • Changing consumer preferences for food safety attributes. Smallholder pig producers face constraints in technology, institutions and policy to effectively participate in the expanding market for pigs and pig meat. What do we know now? Viable technology options (feed, breed) and market institutions can facilitate market access and improve competitiveness of smallholders in supplying increasing demand for pigs and pig meat. • Development policy issues being addressed • Who will supply the demand requirements in the region? • Will smallholder producers remain competitive in the changing market for pigs and pig meat? • What strategies can be devised to improve their competitiveness and ability to participate? Who cares ? Smallholder pig producers (enhanced productivity and improved competitiveness and market access); policy makers (guidance on pro-poor policymaking); development partners (uptake of recommendations); consumers (cheaper, safer pig meat) To Market, To Market, To Sell a Fat Pig… ILRI projects addressing these issues 4. Contract Farming for Equitable Market-Oriented Smallholder Swine Production in N. Vietnam (FAO-PPLPI)2 1. Improving Competitiveness of Pig Producers in an Adjusting Vietnam Market (ACIAR)1 This project seeks to identify an appropriate policy and institutional framework that will best improve the competitiveness of Vietnam’s smallholder pig producers. Nationwide household and value chain surveys are being implemented. Contract farming schemes are not scale-neutral. Alternative informal contract arrangements based on collective action approaches are feasible options. 2. NE India pig systems appraisal (ILRI-Gov of Assam4 • Pig production is becoming a new source of income generation for poor communities in NE India, and small-scale pig production contributes significantly to the livelihood of the majority of households. Key outcomes from the project include: • funding commitment by Gov of Assam to support smallholder pig system development • recommendations taken up by national NGO (RGVN), Animal Health and Vet. Dept. of Assam, and National Agriculture Innovation Project by ICAR in designing pig production programs • NE India regional workshop on Pigs in April 08 to design regional policy for pig sub-sector development • WB, IFAD, IFC expressed interest in funding implementation of recommendations 5. Improving the pig and pig meat marketing chain to enable small producers to serve consumer needs in Vietnam and Cambodia (EU-DURAS)3 Vietnamese consumers are willing to pay an average 5% above regular price for fresh pork fillet that is guaranteed to be hygienic. 3. Sweet potato-pig systems in Sichuan (ADB-CASREN + SLP)5 Enhanced smallholder pig production through improved feeding with ensiled sweet potato vines and roots; the conserved biomass provided for nutritious feeds that can support pig herds up to nine months and enabled use of high-yielding crossbreeds. This resulted in higher FCRs, shorter feeding periods to slaughter weight, and more pigs sold that translated to doubling of income from pig production from adoption of the feeding technology. Dissemination and uptake pathways Numerous partnerships have evolved from the collaborative activities that have been implemented, e.g., links with NGOs (Oxfam and PI in Vietnam; RGVN in NE India) and also with the policymaking bodies (e.g., Vietnam’s MARD, Gov of Assam). These partnerships are critical in facilitating dissemination and uptake of recommendations via policy dialogues, pilot activities, integration in extension programs, and dev. investments. Collaborative partners: 1 (ACIAR, Center for Agricultural Policy, IFPRI, Oxfam, Univ of Queensland); 2 (FAO-PPLPI, Hanoi Agricultural University); 3 (EU-DURAS, Rural Development Center in Vietnam, Center for Agricultural and Livestock Development in Cambodia, CIRAD-MALICA, farmer organizations in VN & CAM); 4 (Gov of Assam); 5 (ADB-SLP, Sichuan Animal Sciences Academy, CIP) ILRI INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE