ICRISAT Archival Report 2006 - The seedlings of success in the ...

problem of malnutrition particularly among the children and lactating mothers. Delgado et al (1999) found a
negative relationship between per capita animal protein intake and incidence of undernourishment in developing
countries.
Most developing countries experienced rapid increases in per capita income and urban population during this
period, which eventually translated into disproportionate increase in demand for animal food products. These
trends are likely to continue on account of three main factors. First, the current per capita consumption of animal
food products is much less in developing world than in developed world. Second, the factors underlying demand
growth in the recent past have been quite robust, and are unlikely to diminish in the near future. Third, the
spreading of supermarkets provides an easier access to ready-to-eat convenience animal based foods. The
projections indicate a substantial increase in demand for livestock food products by 2020 (Delgado et al).
Besides, increasing integration of global markets is also opening up new opportunities for exports of animal
food products. With unfolding of the process of globalization the volume of world trade in livestock products
has been increasing. Evidence indicates that many developing countries are competitive in production of
livestock products, but they lose in the international markets because of heavy protection to livestock production
in major exporting countries such as EU and the US, lack of compliance of sanitary and phyto-sanitary
standards and inefficiency in processing.
Livestock in most developing countries are raised as a part of mixed farming systems wherein there is
considerable synergy among the system components. This leads to a more efficient use of farm resources. What
is needed is a coherent picture of the characteristics of crop and animal production within mixed farming
systems, and the way these systems are changing in different regions. There is a paucity of information on
farming systems research that incorporates animals interactively with cropping systems. Research, policies and
institutional interventions will be more effective in promoting agricultural growth and rural development if
these:
• Recognize strong nexus between crop and animal production.
• Appreciate the complexities of mixed systems and the need for differential interventions in different systems.
• Have a better understanding of the prevailing patterns of animal ownership and management.
The study will be published as a book which will provide an analytical description of the prevalent mixed
farming systems in South Asia and follows a systems approach that incorporates crop and livestock production
together with agro-ecological conditions, risks and returns from different farm activities, soil management and
socioeconomic conditions that influence farmers’ choice of enterprises. Specifically, it provides:
A comprehensive and integrated view of the structure and dynamics of livestock sector in South Asia and its
role in poverty reduction.
A Typology of mixed crop-livestock farming systems for South Asian countries.
A agro-ecological and socioeconomic characterization of each of the systems identified in the typology.
An understanding of the relative importance of agro-ecological, technological and socio-economic factors in
influencing the type and density of species, adoption of livestock technologies, and productivity of the system.
1D.5. Future outlook for dryland crops using the IMPACT-WATER model
In response to socioeconomic and biophysical changes over time, SAT agriculture has undergone significant
changes - the share of dryland cereals in the total cultivated area has declined globally and especially in Asia.
Investment in irrigation and changing consumption patterns induced by income growth and urbanization have
prompted farmers to diversify production into other crops like maize, oilseeds, soybean, cotton and rice, thereby
lowering the relative importance of dryland crops. To the extent that the share of these crops in consumption,
production and marketed surplus of the poor is declining over time, their future role and contribution for poverty
reduction and livelihoods might also decline significantly. As ICRISAT develops its long-term strategy for SAT
agriculture, there are several key questions that need to be addressed. What are the alternative futures and
outlooks for dryland commodities under changing population and income growth scenarios? What kinds of
policies are required to counter the potential impacts of water scarcity, land degradation and climatic variability
and to accelerate sustainable intensification and diversification of agriculture in the SAT? What is the potential
impact of changing consumption patterns and growing preferences for rice, wheat and maize and livestock
products on the production, supply and trade opportunities for dryland commodities? This necessitates careful
analyses of future outlooks and plausible futures for dryland commodities.
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