THEME: Women’s livestock and poultry preferences often do not match profitability.
Several IFAD-supported development projects in China have earmarked credit for livestock purchases, with priority given to women. Under one of the projects in Sichuan Province, it was found in 1995 that women had four main reasons for wanting to raise livestock:
In many provinces, such as Shanxi, Jilin, Shandong, Henan and Sichuan, women have been found to contribute 70-80% of the labour in livestock management. Common types of livestock raised there are pigs, poultry, wool rabbits, dairy goats and dairy cows. Meat rabbit-raising is beginning in some areas, but is not traditionally popular. A survey by the Women’s Federation, though somewhat dated (1989), compared women’s preferences in livestock-raising with their current livestock activities, and with the profitability of different livestock activities. Overall, there were wide differences, particularly between profitability and preferences. Pig-raising was the most preferred but the least profitable enterprise, whereas dairy cattle-raising was the least preferred but the most profitable. Various explanations could be offered for this, including dietary preferences and costs. Wool rabbit-raising, and dairy goat-raising showed the closest matches among actual practice, preference and profitability. Poultry was second in terms of women’s actual activities at the time, but rated second to last in both preferences and profitability. Again, low capital investment costs and space requirements might be an explanation. Living standards in some villages have risen considerably because of women’s livestock enterprises. Qing Hu Shan village is a case in point. Here Tang Tian Hong pioneered angora rabbit-raising, after realizing that markets for local rabbit fur were limited. She began with two pairs of rabbits in 1985, bought with a small loan that was guaranteed by the village head. Eight years later she had a profitable business, and was wealthy enough to finance her daughter in a hairdressing shop in the city, buy color TVs for her children, pay for their weddings and, eventually, purchase an apartment for her son. In recognition of her accomplishments, Tang Tian Hong was designated a ‘rural farmer technician’ for 1993-1996, acting as a link between extension workers and local farmers. The position is associated with considerable social status. Livestock-raising can therefore be usefully promoted for rural women in China. But it is important that development projects provide women up front with information about profitability of one or another livestock or poultry option, so that the women can take the various factors into account when choosing one. Information on non-traditional options should also be included. Adapted from: IFAD. 1995. The Status of Rural Women in China. Rome: IFAD. (Other sources are as cited in this publication.) |
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Traditionally,
raising small livestock and poultry has been women’s responsibility
in China. With private ownership, women have found livestock-raising an
attractive an profitable enterprise. For an increasing number of Chinese
women, livestock and poultry-raising is no longer only a contribution
to family food, but also a major source of family income.