The impact of restocking on livelihoods of livestock keepers in Kapir sub county, Ngora District.

Abstract

Livestock systems occupy about 30 percent of the planet's ice-free-terrestrial surface area and directly support, the livelihoods of 600 million poor smallholder farmers in the developing world. The livestock industry in Uganda constitutes an important sub sector of the economy accounting for 9% and 17% of the National and Agricultural GDP respectively and Small fanners and pastoralists own about 95% of. cattle and 98% small ruminants that produce the bulk of milk and meat. Kapir sub county as any other Part of Teso, suffered from insurgency due to civil Wars and cattle rustling which resulted in depleted livestock numbers. In an attempt to restore livestock production of poor pastoralists. restocking programs were carried out to alleviate poverty but little study had been carried out to determine its impacts in improving livelihoods. The study was designed to determine the benefits of restocking projects to livelihoods of the poor pastoral communities, clarified the need for such projects and further investigated and demonstrated the use of livestock as a key factor in Improving livelihoods. Questionnaire and interviews were administered to randomly select household heads. It was found out that-most of the pastoralist societies live in large families influenced by a number of forces. Cattle and goats were the main animals restocked and Livestock keepers rely mainly on livestock and their products to survive. Therefore, restocking should consider existing situation, introduce high prolific and productive livestock.