Poultry is an integral part of the rural livelihoods in Cambodia, with more than half of the households keeping poultry in their small-scale, traditional, and extensive backyards. More than 20 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks have been reported since 2004 with deaths of over 21,000 birds. During the HPAI outbreaks, some of the flocks in the rural areas were culled without compensation and producers were not allowed to sell outside of the community. Heifer International worked with 2,000 rural families through local project partners in the target communities to develop an effective intervention mechanism to mitigate the impact of the HPAI crisis. Heifer International provided training, public education, and networking as well as promoting model farms based on improved scavenging poultry management. Each community selected one farm family to serve as a model farm. They were trained in Heifer's working approach and committed to practicing integrated farming systems based on scavenging poultry management. One Village Animal Health Worker (VAHW) in each community participated during the project implementation, playing a key role in the information exchange and the interaction between the communities and the avian influenza experts. Formal and informal trainings were conducted for all project partners and project recipients through experts and VAHWs, respectively. There have been no outbreaks reported in the communities in the project areas. Farmers have started using appropriate techniques to maintain biosecurity. They are passing on the knowledge and the skills to the surrounding communities. This participatory approach in educating rural farmers can serve as a model to mitigate HPAI in the developing countries around the world.

This chapter discusses: (i) livestock-keeping systems relevant to the poor; (ii) the role of livestock as part of integrated agricultural systems and households' strategy of risk minimization and diversification; (iii) the link between livestock and the most vulnerable groups, including women; (iv) the influence of livestock on environment and climate change; (v) the risk and advantages of low-input livestock keeping for human health; and (vi) the potential of smallholder mixed farming and pastoralism for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and biodiversity conservation.

This chapter first discusses the role of livestock in integrated agricultural systems and then the endogenous development concept, before describing endogenous livestock development (ELD). It then discusses methodologies to support ELD, and highlights some organizations and networks engaged in ELD initiatives.

This practical learning guide, composed of 12 chapters, focuses on supporting livestock within the smallholder mixed farming systems. It provides practical ways to understand and improve smallholder animal husbandry under a variety of agricultural and ecological conditions based on the Endogenous Livestock Development (ELD) approach. The first part of the book (Chapters 1-5) provides a general overview of livestock development and smallholder livestock keeping of the rural (and urban) poor. The second part of the book (Chapters 6-10) presents the two major types of smallholder livestock keeping systems (low-input and diversified livestock keeping, and more specialized livestock keeping). Chapter 11 presents experiences of finding pathways to markets which can enhance smallholder livestock keeping systems. Chapter 12 features a number of case studies of challenges and effective support to livestock keepers. This book is primarily written for livestock development practitioners, animal health and husbandry trainers, extension workers, students in international agriculture and veterinary programmes, community animal health workers and veterinarians. It can be used both in small group settings and in the formal classroom.

Livestock contribute to the livelihoods of around 70% of the world's poor. Heifer International provides high quality livestock, training, and related support to communities to assist with food security and to improve livelihoods. Heifer provides training and extension services so families can provide improved animal housing, management, breeding, nutrition, and veterinary health. Heifer conducts training programs for para-vets or Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) in areas where local professional veterinary care is not available. Beneficiaries get animal health and husbandry services through trained technicians who are selected from within the community and trained in improved local practices, using basic selection guidelines. The selected community men and women get hands-on training based on the principle of community-based animal health care, using participatory principles in the farmers' fields. Basic tasks of CAHWs in the Heifer-supported project are described. Heifer International is providing sustainable solutions to the well-being of the livestock where it works.

This chapter highlights the challenges and experiences in changing from smallholder low-input and diversified livestock keeping to more specialized livestock keeping. It discusses the background and reasons for changing from low input to more-specialized livestock keeping, the characteristics of and requirements for the process of change, and the desired results and risks associated with changing from low-input strategies into more specialized systems.

This chapter presents 6 case studies of challenges and effective support to livestock keepers. These studies are: (1) A story of rubbish and pigs in Cairo - the effects of swine flu control in Egypt; (2) The shepherds and their black sheep of the Deccan, India; (3) Bio-cultural community protocols to support the Samburu Red Maasai sheep and their shepherds; (4) The heifer methodology of supporting sustainable livelihood in Kenya - the story of Mr. Laban Kipkernoi Talam; (5) Ethno-veterinary medicine in a Master's Degree programme on tropical agricultural production; and (6) the dairy development trap: how Developing Countries can learn from the experiences of Dutch dairy farming.

This chapter presents the complementary recommendations for supporting smallholder low-input and diversified livestock keeping. It discusses the need to adapt recommendations to livestock keeping strategy, the main objective of reducing mortality in supporting low-input and diversified livestock keeping, the main causes of animal mortality in low-input livestock keeping, and recommendations for stimulating low-input systems in 8 special areas (animal nutrition, pasture and rangeland management, water provision, control of infectious diseases, parasite control, breeding and selection, protection and housing, and special care).