Livestock industries in developing countries face numerous constraints that have often hampered the establishment and sustainability of national genetic-improvement programmes. One major inadequacy in a number of programmes previously developed was that livestock owners were not taken into account in decision making and ownership of improvement initiatives. No matter how much effort is put into financial and technological support, the eventual survival of improvement programmes depends on whether the farmers understood and agreed with the objective of the projects. Otherwise, programmes tend to fade away as soon as the development agencies leave. Community ownership of genetic-improvement programmes has been suggested as a potentially sustainable alternative. In this paper, the establishment and sustainability of community-based organizations for the genetic improvement of livestock (CBOGIL) are discussed with reference to some successful community-based genetic-improvement initiatives in different livestock species.
BangaC. (1998), ‘Dairy herd improvement services in Zimbabwe: Past, present and future’, in TrivediK. R., ed, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Animal Recording for Smallholders in Developing Countries, 20–23 October 1997, Anand, India, ICAR Technical Series, No 1, pp 173–179.
2.
BayerW.von LossauA., and FeldmannA. (2003), ‘Smallholders and community-based management of farm animal genetic resources’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 1–12.
3.
BesterJ.MatjudaL. E.RustJ. M., and FourieH. J. (2003), ‘The Nguni: A case study’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 45–54.
4.
BondocO. L., and SmithC. (1993), ‘Deterministic genetic analysis of open nucleus breeding schemes for dairy cattle in developing countries’, Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Vol 110, pp 194–208.
5.
ChackoC. T., and KishoreG. (1998), ‘Milk recording and cattle improvement of Sunandini cows in Karala’, in TrivediK. R., ed, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Animal Recording for Smallholders in Developing Countries, 20–23 October 1997, Anand, India, ICAR Technical Series, No 1, pp 43–51.
6.
DarfauiE. M. (2000), ‘D'man sheep breeding programme in Morocco’, in GalalS.BoyazogluJ., and HammondK., eds, Proceedings of the Workshop on Developing Breeding Strategies for Lower Input Animal Production Environments, 22–25 September 1999, Bella, Italy, ICAR Technical Series, No 3, pp 319–329.
7.
DickersonG. E. (1973), ‘Inbreeding and heterosis in animals’Proceeding of the Animal Breeding Symposium in Honour of Jay Lush, American Society of Animal Science and American Dairy Science Association, Champaign, IL, pp 54–77.
8.
FeldmannA., and BayerW. (2003), ‘Can we learn from history? Smallholder cattle breeding in Germany’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 147–148.
9.
GarrickD. J. (1993), ‘The importance of industry structure’, BlairH. T., and McCutcheonS. N., eds, Proceedings of A. L. Rae Symposium on Animal Breeding and Genetics, Massey University, New Zealand, pp 110–119.
10.
GatenbyR. M. (1986), Sheep Production in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics, Longman Inc, New York.
11.
GeorgoudisA., and BaltasA. (1998), ‘The development and maintenance of animal recording schemes for low to medium input production environments – a case study on animal recording systems in Greece’, in TrivediK. R., ed, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Animal Recording for Smallholders in Developing Countries, 20–23 October 1997, Anand, India, ICAR Technical Series, No 1, pp 217–223.
12.
GondweT. N. P.WollnyC. B. A.SafalaohA. C. L.ChileraF. C., and ChagundaM. G. G. (2003), ‘Community-based promotion of rural poultry diversity, management, utilisation and research in Malawi’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 69–76.
13.
HammondK., and GalalS. (2000), ‘Developing breeding strategies for lower input animal production environments. An introduction’, in GalalS.BoyazogluJ., and HammondK., eds, Proceedings of the Workshop on Developing Breeding Strategies for Lower Input Animal Production Environments, 22–25 September 1999, Bella, Italy, ICAR Technical Series, No 3, pp 13–20.
14.
JumalievA., and KretovA. (2000), ‘Cattle improvement project in the Kyrgyz Republic’, in GalalS.BoyazogluJ., and HammondK., eds, Proceedings of the Workshop on Developing Breeding Strategies for Lower Input Animal Production Environments, 22–25 September 1999, Bella, Italy, ICAR Technical Series, No 3, pp 429–434.
15.
KahiA. K.NitterG., and GallC. F. (2004), ‘Developing breeding schemes for pasture based dairy production systems in Kenya. II. Evaluation of alternative objectives and schemes using a two-tier open nucleus and the young bull system’, Livestock Production Science, Vol 88, pp 179–192.
16.
KahiA. K., and RegeJ. E. O. (2001), ‘African cattle genetic resources: Their unique attributes and conservation through utilization for milk production’, in de GooijerJ. H. A., ed, 12th Symposium on Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2 November, Utrecht University, Utrecht, pp 25–32.
17.
Köhler-RollefsonI. (2003), ‘Community-based management of animal genetic resources – with special references to pastoralists’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 13–25.
18.
KosgeyI. S. (2004), ‘Breeding objectives and breeding strategies for small ruminants in the tropics’, PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen.
19.
KosgeyI. S.BakerR. L.UdoH. M. J., and van ArendonkJ. A. M. (2005), ‘Successes and failures of small ruminants breeding programmes in the tropics: A review’Small Ruminant Research (in press).
20.
MartyniukE. (2003), ‘Intergovernmental mechanisms in the global management of animal genetic resources’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 37–44.
21.
NjoroJ. N., ed (2003), ‘Community initiatives in livestock improvement: The case of Kathekani, Kenya’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 77–84.
22.
PhillipssonJ. (2000), ‘Sustainability of dairy cattle breeding systems utilising artificial insemination in less developed countries – examples of problems and prospects’, in GalalS.BoyazogluJ., and HammondK., eds, Proceedings of the Workshop on Developing Breeding Strategies for Lower Input Animal Production Environments, 22–25 September 1999, Bella, Italy, ICAR Technical Series, No 3, pp 551–562.
23.
RamsayK.HunlunC., and KotzeA. (2003), ‘The role of breed societies and breed conservation non-governmental organisations in community-based management of farm animal genetic resources’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 131–138.
24.
RegeJ. E. O.KahiA. K.Okomo-AdhiamboM.MwacharoJ., and HanotteO. (2001), ‘Zebu cattle of Kenya: Uses, performance, farmer preferences, measures of genetic diversity and options for improved use’, Animal Genetic Resources Research, Vol 1, ILRI, Nairobi.
25.
ReweT. O.OgoreP. B., and KahiA. K. (2002), ‘Integrated goat projects in Kenya: Impact on genetic improvement’Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 19–23 August, Montpellier, Vol 33, pp 385–387.
26.
ShepherdR. K., and KinghornB. P. (1993), ‘A deterministic model of BLUP selection in two tier nucleus breeding scheme’, Livestock Production Science, Vol 33, pp 341–354.
27.
SmithC. (1988), ‘Genetic improvement of livestock using nucleus breeding units’, World Animal Review, Vol 65, pp 2–10.
28.
SölknerJ.NakimbugweH., and ZarateValle A. (1998), ‘Analysis of determinants for success and failure of village breeding programmes’Proceedings of the 6th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, 11–16 January, Armidale, Australia, Vol 23, pp 273–280.
29.
SyrstadO. (1996), ‘Dairy cattle crossbreeding in the tropics: Choice of crossbreeding strategy’, Tropical Animal Health and Production, Vol 28, pp 223–229.
30.
ThakaduT. O. (2003), ‘The concept of community ownership and mobilization: Experiences from community-based natural resources management’Proceedings of the Workshop on Community-Based Management of Animal Genetic Resources, 7–11 May 2001, Mbabane, Swaziland, pp 122–125.
31.
TrailJ. C. M., and GregoryK. E. (1981), Sahiwal Cattle: An Evaluation of their Potential Contribution to Milk and Beef Production in Africa, Monograph No 3, International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Addis Ababa.
32.
TrivediT. R., ed (1998), ‘A case study of buffalo recording systems under the Dairy Co-operative Organisation in India’Proceedings of the International Workshop on Animal Recording for Smallholders in Developing Countries, 20–23 October 1997, Anand, India, ICAR Technical Series, No 1, pp 27–41.
33.
VaccaroL. (1990), ‘Survival of European dairy breeds and their crosses with zebus in the tropics’, Animal Breeding Abstract, Vol 58, pp 475–494.
34.
VaccaroR., and de VaccaroL. (1998), ‘Performance recording in dual purpose cattle in Venezuela’, in TrivediK. R., ed, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Animal Recording for Smallholders in Developing Countries, 20–23 October 1997, Anand, India, ICAR Technical Series, No 1, pp 225–233.
35.
Yapi-GnoaréC. V. (2000), ‘The open nucleus breeding programme of the Djallonké sheep in Cote d'Ivoire’, in GalalS.BoyazogluJ., and HammondK., eds, Proceedings of the Workshop on Developing Breeding Strategies for Lower Input Animal Production Environments, 22–25 September 1999, Bella, Italy, ICAR Technical Series, No 3, pp 283–292.
