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Insurance Function of Livestock: Farmer’s Coping Capacity with Regional Droughts in South-Western Madagascar

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  • Hänke, Hendrik
  • Barkmann, Jan

Abstract

In semi-arid areas, pastoralism is attributed to an insurance function for smallholder farmers relying otherwise on rain-fed agriculture. In southwestern Madagascar, zebu cattle are the most prominent herded animal, and the heads a household owns is a strong indicator of both prestige and social status. Given the extreme socio-cultural value of zebu cattle in Malagasy culture, however, many authors question the economic rationale of zebu accumulation. Consequently, improved zebu herding has been widely ignored as a suitable target for development interventions. Empirical micro-level data on the role of livestock herding in terms of household economics is missing, though. With this contribution, we close this knowledge gap by analyzing the economic importance of zebu herding against (i) the general role of livestock husbandry and (ii) non-cattle-related livelihood and coping strategies to safeguard smallholders against crop failures.

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  • Hänke, Hendrik & Barkmann, Jan, 2017. "Insurance Function of Livestock: Farmer’s Coping Capacity with Regional Droughts in South-Western Madagascar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 264-275.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:96:y:2017:i:c:p:264-275
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.03.011
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    2. Wouter Zant, 2023. "How costly is using livestock as a savings device?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(1), pages 77-110, February.
    3. Railey, Ashley F. & Lankester, Felix & Lembo, Tiziana & Reeve, Richard & Shirima, Gabriel & Marsh, Thomas L., 2019. "Enhancing livestock vaccination decision-making through rapid diagnostic testing," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
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    5. Brinkmann, Katja & Kübler, Daniel & Liehr, Stefan & Buerkert, Andreas, 2021. "Agent-based modelling of the social-ecological nature of poverty traps in southwestern Madagascar," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    6. Shannon C. Herd-Hoare & Charlie M. Shackleton, 2020. "Integrating Ecosystem Services and Disservices in Valuing Smallholder Livestock and Poultry Production in Three Villages in South Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, August.
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    8. Josoa R. Randriamalala & Dominique Hervé, 2022. "Goat Breeding: A Possible Sustainable Way to Manage Xerophytic Thickets in Southwestern Madagascar," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Nicolli, F. & Acosta, A. & Karfakis, P., 2018. "Are Livestock s keepers more resilient to climate shocks: Fact or Artifact?," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277482, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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