Appropriate use of livestock is extremely valuable in addressing poverty

A NUMBER of organisations, including Oxfam Ireland, have been successfully selling alternative ethical gifts at Christmas as a way of generating funds for overseas development work.

Oxfam Ireland is aware there has recently been some concern about the way in which animals are being used in overseas development programmes, some of which are sold as gifts through alternative gift catalogues.

From our experience, the appropriate use of livestock in development programmes is extremely valuable in addressing poverty.

Oxfam Ireland works long-term in partnership with communities and local organisations in some of the poorest countries in Africa and our practices are based on decades of experience and learning. We take into account the context of the environment and ensure local people’s participation in our programme planning and implementation.

One of the ways we generate funds is through our Oxfam Unwrapped gift catalogue, which contains 30 gifts such as seeds, tools, training, drought and climate change preparedness training, cooking stoves and school items — as well as two livestock gifts: ‘bulls’ and ‘veterinary care for a cow’. These gifts are all components of our overseas programme work in livelihoods, humanitarian assistance and HIV and Aids. Our programmes range from peace building, water, sanitation and access to antiretrovirals to veterinary care and the provision of livestock.

In a number of countries in Africa we work with pastoralists who move with their animals to make optimal use of scarce resources such as water and grazing. In many areas where pastoralism is practised, the environment is fragile and the land is not suitable for growing crops.

For example, we are working with pastoralists in the Kajiado district of Kenya to improve the quality of their livestock through the introduction of quality bulls. Alongside this, we are supporting these communities to develop veterinary expertise through the provision of training and animal healthcare kits. This is just one component of a comprehensive livelihoods programme to address poverty in the area.

This demonstrates how our funding is driven by the demands of the people we work with. Oxfam Ireland’s fundraising is based on the requirements of its overseas programme work, which has been carefully planned in collaboration with its partners on the ground.

This year, some of the funding for the livelihoods programme in Kenya will be raised through the Unwrapped gifts ‘Share of a Bull’ and ‘Care for a Cow’.

We do not have goats in our catalogue this year as we have sufficient funding in that area. In most cases, the items in the Unwrapped catalogue, including livestock, are sourced locally to keep the wheels of the local economy turning.

Dr Brian Scott

Executive Director

Oxfam Ireland.