IFAD has pioneered several innovative restocking strategies in order to provide positive benefits to its clients while avoiding any negative economic and ecological impact. Since IFAD generally views restocking projects as client-driven, participatory instruments for ensuring the sustainability of livestock-dependent livelihoods, it has integrated the provision of livestock into the wider process of rehabilitation and development, as evidenced by the Kidal Food and Income Security Programme in Mali.

The Arhangai Rural Poverty Alleviation Project in Mongolia introduced a number of successful new features. The project purchased livestock from richer pastoralists locally and redistributed them to herders who were less well off, thus providing more households with herds of a viable size without burdening the range with too many new animals. The smaller herders were also considered to be more likely to adhere to traditional grazing systems.

Given that the viability of a herd declines and economic vulnerability increases with absolute herd size, the project introduced a minimum animal requirement for beneficiaries, explicitly excluding both the poorest and the richest herders. In the light of implementation experience, the minimum eligible herd size was subsequently adjusted upwards.

An innovative scheme was introduced whereby five people supported each beneficiary: the project implementation unit, district livestock coordinator, ‘tent group’ leader, district governor and sub-district governor — all of whom visited the beneficiaries (especially the weaker herders) on a regular basis. This system ensured close integration of beneficiary households into the most important local institution, the ‘tent group’, and the ‘five-consultants system’ is now an integral part of the project’s livestock scheme.

The design and implementation of restocking projects requires careful consideration, however. For example, if herds are lost due to natural disaster, additional measures such as vaccination, drought early-warning systems and animal insurance may be necessary to ensure project success. Livestock procurement may also be problematic. For example, purchasing animals locally is often advocated as a means of decreasing the environmental impact because overall stock numbers are not increased. However, after any natural disaster, the local purchase of animals may inflate prices artificially within the project area, and sufficient numbers of animals may not always be available.

Another major difficulty facing restocking projects is to ensure that livestock are distributed to the identified target group. For example, issues were raised in the mid-term review of the aforementioned Arhangai Rural Poverty Alleviation Project regarding the exclusion of the poorest herders. Additionally, since restocking projects can often be very politicised, strong participatory targeting and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes must be in place prior to, during and after the distribution of livestock to ensure equitable distribution.

Relevant IFAD Projects