A comparison between urban livestock production strategies in Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria in West Africa

Abstract

We undertook a comparative analysis of (peri-)urban livestock production strategies across three West African cities. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, livestock-keeping households (HH) were interviewed in Kano/Nigeria (84 HH), Bobo Dioulasso/Burkina Faso (63 HH) and Sikasso/Mali (63 HH). Questions covered livestock species kept, herd sizes and structure, feeds used, manure management, livestock marketing and production constraints. Sheep and goats dominated ( p < 0.001) in Kano (76 and 75 % of HH) compared to Bobo Dioulasso (48 and 40 %) and Sikasso (28 and 40 %), while cattle and poultry were more frequent ( p < 0.001) in Bobo Dioulasso (82 and 69 % of HH) and Sikasso (65 and 79 %) than in Kano (29 and 20 %). Across cities, ruminant feeding relied on grazing and homestead supplementation with fresh grasses, crop residues, cereal brans and cottonseed cake; cereal grains and brans were major ingredients of poultry feeds. Cattle and sheep fetched highest prices in Kano, unit prices for goats and chicken were highest in Sikasso. Across cities there was little association of gardens and livestock, whereas field cropping and livestock were integrated. There was no relation between the education of the HH head and the adoption of improved management practices ( p > 0.05), but the proportion of HH heads with a long-term experience in UPA activities was higher in Kano and in Bobo Dioulasso than in Sikasso ( p < 0.001). We therefore postulate that the high illiteracy rate among (peri-)urban livestock keepers in West Africa does not threaten the acceptance of improved technologies and innovations supporting the sustainability of their livestock production.

Characteristics of urban and peri-urban agriculture in West Africa: results of an exploratory survey conducted in Tamale (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

“…Amadou et al (2012) similarly characterized livestock ownership in three cities of West Africa; Bobo Dioulassou in Burkina Faso, Kano in Nigeria and Sikasso in Mali. In these cities, as in Tamale and Ouagadougou, most farmers kept more than one species.…”

Elevage caprin en Afrique de l’Ouest : une synthèse

“…Vers la fin de la saison sèche, avec la disparition du couvert herbacé, les éleveurs pratiquent une complémentation à céréales comme le maïs et le mil, et sel de cuisine) (Ali et al, 2003 ;Ajala et al, 2008 ;Baah et al, 2012). L'accès aux produits vétérinaires est plus fréquent surtout en ce qui concerne la vaccination contre la PPR (Amadou et al, 2012), mais au Togo, même dans les élevages encadrés, le taux de déparasitage n'est que de 21 % (Bastiaensen et al, 2003). Les déjections sont valorisées sous forme d'engrais ou mises à la décharge publique (Ali et al, 2003 ;Amadou et al, 2012).…”

“…L'accès aux produits vétérinaires est plus fréquent surtout en ce qui concerne la vaccination contre la PPR (Amadou et al, 2012), mais au Togo, même dans les élevages encadrés, le taux de déparasitage n'est que de 21 % (Bastiaensen et al, 2003). Les déjections sont valorisées sous forme d'engrais ou mises à la décharge publique (Ali et al, 2003 ;Amadou et al, 2012). Le déve-loppement des élevages urbains et périurbains pourrait donc s'accompagner de problèmes de santé publique voire environnementaux.…”

Characteristics and typology of sheep herding systems in the suburban area of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

“…Suburban livestock is more particularly concerned by the development opportunity represented by the rise of demand for animal products (Rischkowsky et al, 2006;Amadou et al, 2012). In Burkina Faso, the suburban area of Ouagadougou is a place for the setting-up of more and more breeders, who could benefit from market proximity, both for products and inputs.…”