Cattle offtake as a livelihood based intervention to building resilience in periods of drought: the case of Ward 15 Mbire District

Abstract

The study concentrated on the analysis of socio-economic factors affecting cattle offtake in Mbire District. The study sought to discover the variables which matter most on cattle offtake during periods of drought. This was done through a survey. The technique used to gather data included observation, interviews through a semi-structured questionnaire and use of official data. Price and herd size were found to have a positive effect on the number of cattle sold, so were age, other livestock kept and household size, though to a lesser extent. Recommendations were an auctioning system in marketing of cattle that result in attractive prices, the building of cattle herds and strengthen production of goats. Effectiveness of private and public institutions in the area was found to be an area needing further studies. Key words cattle offtake, household, resilience