Publisher's Synopsis
Even though livestock play a vital role in the rural economies of the developing world, the promotion of livestock production has remained a controversial issue among development policy-makers. This book combines a New Institutional Economics perspective with the neo-classical economics approach to improve our understanding of the changing role which livestock play in the development of the agricultural economy. Part I of the book both analyzes from a micro-level perspective the multiple functions which livestock play in rural households and explains from a macro-level perspective the typical patterns and critical phases which can be observed in livestock development. Historical examples serve as illustrations. Using livestock farming in the Hambantota District of Sri Lanka as an instructive case study, Part II of the book demonstrates how the theoretical framework can be applied to analyze the potential for livestock development in a particular region. Part III draws important conclusions for government policy makers, donor agencies, NGOs and research institutions concerned with livestock development.
