Gender and livestock production

While livestock have long been considered one of the most important assets outside of land for rural populations globally and in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there has been limited attention given to gender and livestock until very recently. Generally, livestock are increasingly understood as another dimension in which men and women’s access to, control of, and benefit from livestock is largely unequal, favoring men over women. In many cases, women and children’s labor are used to rear animals, while the benefits derived from the animals and their products disproportionately accrue to men. This chapter identifies three themes that emerge from the literature focused on gender and livestock production in SSA: (1) income and markets, (2) health and nutrition, and (3) risk and vulnerability. The chapter concludes by identifying areas for future research and avenues for creating a more sustainable and gender-equitable approach to livestock production.