Livestock’s role in food security, employment generation and providing a cushion against vulnerability in rural areas has made it an appealing vehicle for pro-poor development (ILRI 2012). Moreover, vulnerable groups, particularly women and the landless masses, frequently engage in livestock production, thereby highlighting the multifaceted virtues of livestock promotion as a pathway out of poverty.

The rising demand for livestock products has provided support to more than 35 million people in Pakistan, especially for poor women as livestock keepers, by raising their income and food security (GoP 2014).  In rural areas, it is among the primary responsibilities of women to rear livestock (Kazi 1999). Besides their significant participation, women living in the rural areas of Pakistan have poor nutrition, low level of education, poor health and poor access to other basic necessities.

Gender inequality is one of the contributing factors of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty.  

This study is designed to assess women’s role in livestock production such as dairy and impact of their participation on livestock income. For this purpose, a sample of 456 households (380 having livestock; and 76 without livestock) will be selected from the province of Punjab using multistage sampling. The role of livestock viz a viz food security in these two groups of households will also be explored and compared. The Food Balance Sheet Model will be used to assess the food security of these households. Women empowerment through livestock will be calculated based on the Women Empowerment Agriculture Index (Alkire et al. 2013). Factors affecting women’s empowerment in livestock production will also be rectified using the logit model.

It is hoped that the outcomes of the study about women’s role in livestock income, food security and decision-making related to production and consumption of income will help to suggest policy messages regarding women empowerment through livestock.

References

Alkire, S. Meinzen-Dick, R. Peterman, A. Quisumbing, A. et al. 2013, ‘The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index’, OPHI Working Paper no. 58, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI), University of Oxford, UK, <http://www.ophi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ophi-wp-58.pdf>, accessed 12 October 2015.

GOP 2014, ‘Pakistan Economic Survey 2013-14’, Economic Advisor’s Wing, Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad.

ILRI 2012, ‘Livestock Matter(s): Where Livestock Can Make a Difference’, ILRI Corporate Report 2010-2011, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, <https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/16698/ILRICorporateReport2010-11.pdf?sequence=6>, accessed 12 October 2015.

Kazi, S. 1999, ‘Gender Inequalities and Development in Pakistan’, in Fifty Years of Pakistan’s Economy: Traditional Topics and Temporary Concerns, Shahrukh Rafi Khan (ed.), Oxford University Press, Pakistan, pp. 376-414.