Gender roles, local knowledge, food security and biodiversity in different livestock production systems in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper reports on a study investigating livestock production in Tanzania. It focuses on the three main livestock production systems, i.e. pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and intensive farmers, and how they differ among the following three domains: livestock health, husbandry and management gender analysis of livestock production system food security and livestock production systems It finds that: animals primarily serve to satisfy the basic needs of the family, rather than to meet the demands of the market, in all production systems women are responsible for both productive and reproductive work, while men are only responsible for the former, in the pastoral system there is no interaction between crop farming and livestock, whereas in agro-pastoral and intensive systems there is a strong interdependence between two, in the pastoral system cultural attitudes and taboos are more ingrained and often have negative impacts, in all systems gender differentiated local knowledge is highly sophisticated and serves an important role in sustaining the family and community, Sustainable practices have evolved to protect soil, water and natural vegetation. It calls for: new and further innovation to ensure food security for all, a change in a attitude among men to achieve progress in empowerment of rural women.