LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME |
Programme background
Although Livestock keeping is the major occupation in the pastoralists areas, its related services have for long not being receiving the gravity it deserves. This has resulted into a diminished animal population to the extent that some families have been subjected to a state of destitute and permanent hunger-pangs. The situation has been exacerbated by the cutting off of the veterinary and extension services by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development .The enzootic diseases for livestock therefore flared up sporadically without control and treatment causing high mortalities which have immensely destocked the animal Population. Because of land alienation the livestock carrying capacity by the range land has been affected due to many uses such as large scale crop farming, game reserves, and mining and military training arena .Unreliable water supply forces the pastoralists to practice transhumance since the water supply facilities and structures like boreholes pumps, dams and charcoals are dysfunctional.
Community Research and Development Services (CORDS) has therefore initiated a Livestock Programme designed to incorporate pastoralists to find out strategies to be used in improving their livelihoodss since, recent experience have shown that the only way to improve the livestock desired standards, ways must be sought out to curb up the flaring up of livestock diseases, provision of extension services, land tenure security, other necessary veterinary services, market outlets for livestock and livestock products and introduction of highly potential breeds through cross-breeding.
Target Population and Geographical coverage:
The progrmmme is implemented in Longido (Kimokouwa, Engikaret, Eworendeke, Kiserian, Sinonik and Mairowa) and Kiteto (Kimana, Orpopong'I, Amei, Ndaleta, Lesoit, Loolera, Orkitikiti, Laalala, Mtikira, Lembapuli, Katikati, and Makame) districts respectively.
Objectives:
Among other things the aims of Livestock Development Programme are:-
• To improve the quantity and quality of livestock and livestock products.
• To reduce poverty and improve the living standards among the poor pastoral communities in Kiteto, Monduli, Longido and Simanjiro in the Northern part of Tanzania.
• To enhance animal health and provide technical advice to livestock keepers in the target areas.
• To improve the security of pastoral livelihoodss.
• To improve sustainable household crop production.
• To promote market outlets for livestock and agricultural products.
Programme Activities:
In order to succeed in the programme implementation, The programme planned the following activities to be carried out:
• Mobilization of the community
• Rehabilitation of livestock infrastructures (dips, crushes veterinary centers, markets).
• Training and equipping extension staff and paravets.
• Establishment of improved bull centers.
• Restocking of pastoral destitute families.
• Training pastoralists on production and use of traditional livestock drugs.
• Restocking of pastoral destitute families.
• Preparation of land use plans and zoning.
• Training farmers on soil erosion, water harvesting and animal traction techniques.
• Improve local breeds by cross breeding.
• Conduct market survey for livestock and agricultural products
• To train pastoralists on market mechanism.
Main Achievements
• Two vet centers were built for easy access of livestock drugs
• 6 dips were constructed
• 2 dams in place in Kiteto
• More than 3060 families have restocked
• 2 bulls centers are in place for cross breeding
• Para-vet were trained in six villages
• Loan was given to four villages








