Livestock development policy in The Gambia: a reassessment

This paper examines the historical development of policy in The Gambia through an analysis of 3 recurring themes: the motivation for keeping livestock, growth of the cattle population and the resulting feed deficit, and the need to develop a mixed farming system. The paper argues that there are major discrepancies between the common understanding which emerges from these themes and the realities of livestock ownership and production. It is suggested that it is because of these discrepancies, that livestock policies and programmes, other than mass disease control, have seldom had their desired impacts.