Small ruminants and poor livestock farmers

According to the FAO, out of a population of 5.5 billion people in the developing world, 2.6 billion live on at least 2 dollars a day, and 1.4 billion extremely poor live on less than 1.25 dollars per day. In this population, about 752 million are rural livestock farmers, 45% of whom live in South Asia and 25% in sub-Saharan Africa.

Small ruminants contribute effectively to improving the livelihoods and economic self-sufficiency of vulnerable families.

Numerous development and humanitarian assistance projects distribute small ruminants to refugees and village communities. Sometimes made possible by a micro loan or through a village animal bank, the grant of one or several small ruminants constitutes a first step out of social exclusion and food and nutritional insecurity for the most vulnerable populations.