Preferred livestock interventions for small-scale farmers in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area: a demand-driven and participatory approach

In southern Africa, residents of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs), devoted to biodiversity conservation and local development and well-being, practice small-scale farming in semi-arid environments constrained by the presence of protected areas and extensive wildlife/livestock/human interfaces that come with conflicts and opportunities. Under these contexts, livestock production aims at supporting local livelihoods despite the harsh semi-arid environment and conflicts with wildlife. In the context of an intervention aiming at promoting local development and the well-being of residents in the Great Limpopo TFCA, the objective of this study was to test a methodology to identify demand-driven interventions (i.e., based on local stakeholders’ needs) for improving livestock production in a communal land in Zimbabwe. This study used the outputs of an anticipatory scenario-building workshop (e.g., a desired future scenario for the area) and individual questionnaires to establish possible and desired livestock interventions by local stakeholders. Results were largely similar and complementary between the co-elaborative scenario building workshops and the questionnaire survey. Preferred interventions were: restocking herds with breeds adapted to local production; training in livestock practices and production; support to marketing; feed development and value addition; loan schemes to invest in livestock housing and stockfeed; and finally, animal health interventions to reduce the heavy disease burden. The individual questionnaire data specified preferred interventions for each domestic species. These demand-driven interventions provide a basis for future development projects in the area and avoid top-down approaches by development agencies that fail to address local needs and lack appropriation by local stakeholders necessary for the sustainability of the interventions.