Organisations working on sustainable management of livestock

4 May 2016. Food Tank highlights 18 organizations and companies that are working on the sustainable management of livestock, conserving indigenous breeds, serving more sustainable meat, and using livestock to improve the livelihoods of communities.

Extract:

• Heifer International uses livestock as a strategy for alleviating poverty and promoting food security and nutrition. Their programs include access to animal health services and disease control, as well as resources for improved nutrition, marketing, and management of livestock.
• The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to reduce food insecurity and poverty in developing nations through research for better and more sustainable use of livestock. The ILRI uses livestock as a development tool to secure assets and increase market participation of the poor and to improve smallholder and pastoral productivity.
• The Mazingira Institute works to help farmers and producers learn about sustainable practices while adding value to their products. Its Urban Food and Nutrition Security and Urban Agriculture project includes a training course in the Practice of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture and the Nairobi and Environs Food Security, Agriculture, and Livestock Forum.
• The Nature Conservancy, based in Virginia, works internationally to conserve natural resources and protect the environment. With their partners, the Northern Rangelands Trust, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and Ol Pejeta Conservancy, they have created a mobile market for pastoralist herders in Kenya. Pastoralists must meet strict grazing standards that also improve the health of grasslands and produce healthier cows, which can be sold for a higher price.
• The Neleshi Grasscutter and Farmers Association (NAGRAFA) is comprised of farmers and businesswomen and men who are working to preserve the grasslands and help other farmers increase their incomes by teaching alternatives to slash and burn methods, which provide short-term nutrients to soil and drive out grasscutters, allowing farmers to sell their meat—a delicacy in Ghana. NAGRAFA offers free trainings to farmers and youth about how to sustainably raise, slaughter, and process grasscutter and rabbit meat.
• The Savory Institute uses holistic land management to restore grasslands and prevent desertification. In Zimbabwe, the Africa Centre for Holistic Management owns Dimbangombe Ranch, a Savory Hub, which teaches and demonstrates how holistic management can improve the lives of people in southern Africa.
• The Turing Foundation offers grants to organizations working towards sustainable livestock production in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and sub-Saharan Africa.