Livestock Services and the Poor: A global initiative - IFAD

E XECUTIVE SUMMARY
HIV/AIDS
AIDS-affected households have specific needs for livestock services. The
impact on poverty and livestock production is severe in areas affected by
HIV/AIDS, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. It is therefore essential that
livestock sector development programmes address the consequences of
HIV/AIDS for services, as well as the specific needs of the affected households.
Many of these needs are similar to the general needs of poor households, but
households and communities should focus especially on the training of
orphaned youth in livestock production and the associated technologies, which
yield a high output relative to the labour investment.
Delivery of Livestock Services
Delivery systems must empower the users
Chapter 2 discusses various delivery systems and the strengths and weaknesses
of different types of service providers. Depending on the degree of private
benefit, poor users are willing and able to pay for services. These payments are
critical in ensuring the user ownership of service delivery systems and hence
the sustainability of the systems. The overall conclusion is:
Delivery systems that make service providers responsible to their users and
give users a free choice among providers enhance the negotiating power of
the users and increase the quality and sustainability of the services.
Public and private-sector roles must be clear
The division of responsibilities between the public and private sectors in the
delivery of services is shifting towards an increased role for the private sector
in direct service delivery, while the role of the public sector is becoming
concentrated on quality oversight, particularly for services that have an effect
on areas of interest for the ‘public good’, such as market failure, moral
hazards, or externalities. Chapter 2 provides several examples of ways in
which public sector involvement in the direct delivery of services hinders the
development of the private sector. On the other hand, poverty reduction is a
public good, and, while the implementation of poverty reduction measures
might be entrusted to private actors, ensuring an appropriate enabling
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