Ruminants, resilience and poverty : assessing the socioeconomic role of small ruminants in the pastoral areas of Northeastern Uganda

Abstract: Small ruminants (goats and sheep) are of great importance for the livelihoods of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and the small holder poor in rural Uganda. However, their socioeconomic role is often overlooked in the general statistics on rural and household economies. As a result, the global community and the national government of Uganda underinvest in the treatment and control of contagious small ruminants’ diseases, like Peste des petits ruminant (PPR), leading to economic loss and impoverishment for pastoralists and the rural poor. This research assesses the role of goats and sheep in the household livelihoods of pastoralists in the Karamoja region, and the coping strategies of pastoralists in times of disaster, which can be brought on by livestock disease outbreaks, prolonged drought, and floods, among other things. The research data was collected using unstructured and structured in-depth interviews with rural household members and with key development partners. Focus group discussions in the villages, participatory observation, and questionnaires were also used during data collection. The assessment was done using sustainable livelihood framework, coping, and resilience as lenses through which the role of small ruminants and coping strategies are understood. The findings conclude that goats and sheep play significant roles in food security and household income generation. On top of the environmental role they play, small ruminants raise the social status of households in the community who are fighting against marginalization. Contagious diseases like PPR affect the reproduction and productivity of small ruminants and negatively affect the extremely poor households, keeping them in a cycle of poverty.