Economic Value of Cattle in Smallholder Livestock Production Systems

In developing countries, financial markets function poorly and opportunities for risk management through formal insurance generally absent. To cope with this, cattle have tended to assume non – market, socio – economic roles. Analyses of cattle systems, production patterns and producer decisions more often focus on market variables, resulting in possible inconsistent results. This is particularly so, when estimating the total contribution of livestock. The non – market functions are often ignored since they are difficult to measure, yet they may contribute to a better understanding of existing livestock production systems. This study estimates the value of non – market contribution of cattle using non-market valuation techniques to determine its contribution to the competitiveness and survival of smallholder cattle systems in western Kenya.