The impacts of improved accessibility on livestock management in Pakistan

The northern region of Pakistan has seen rapid infrastructure development in recent years. In particular, the construction of the Karakoram Highway has created a major transport link through the region. What impact have these improved communications had on livestock management systems?

Most people in Pakistan’s northern regionhave small farms and keep livestock. This region liesat the junction of the Karakoram, Western Himalayan and HinduKush mountain ranges. Research led by the MacaulayInstitute, in the UK,investigates the impact of improved accessibility onlocal livestock management practices and production systems.

The researchers measured crop areas and livestocknumberson two transects – paths along which onerecords and counts occurrences. The first transect was along the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The othertransect was in the Gilgit-Ghizer Region (GGR) andlay along a valley with little transport infrastructure. The main differencebetween the transects is the quality of the roads,which are high in the KKH transect and low in the GGR transect.

The researchers surveyed 59 smallholderhouseholds in detail and completed a broader survey of 130 households. The study found that smallholders in the region practice anintegrated agro-pastoral system, combining livestock production with arablecrop farming. However, increases in human population density are puttingpressure on the local farming system and on local pastures.

Furtherresearch findings show:

• Herdsizes were similar across both transects.
• Livestockare primarily kept for domestic milk supply and a source of manure and butter(ghee), as well as for generating some cash income.
• The improved accessibility in the KKHtransect only caused a slight difference in livestock management practices.
• There were 42 percent more cross-bred andtherefore ‘improved’ cattle and sheep in the KKH transect.
• In theGGR transect, there was more trade in livestock and a greater use of animalsfor ploughing.
• Insufficientwinter food for livestock was the most significant constraint across bothtransects; however, farmers in the KKH transect stored significantlymore feed than those in the GGR transect.
• There was a greater emphasis on cashcrops, such as peas and potatoes, in the KKH transect.
• Off-farm employment and the level offormal education were also higher in the KKH transect.

Upgradinglow quality roads has had relatively little impact on traditional livestockmanagement practices. However, households in lower altitude zones and thoseclose to better transport and communication infrastructure in the KKH transect appearto be less dependent on livestock for income. This suggests that livestock continues to be important inhousehold economies, even if infrastructure develops, but becomes lessimportant in terms of earning money.

The researchers make several recommendations:

• Development efforts should focus on improvingthe marketing aspects of livestock production to increase cash income fromlivestock products.
• Increasing the allocation of labour tocash crops and increasing the amount of time spent on education may leave lesslabour and time for tending animals on high pastures under the traditionalmanagement system.
• Further research should focus on thisissue, since livestock grazing is important to maintaining the integrity ofthese fragile pasture resources.