1. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)

Introduction
Small ruminants are an integral part of farming systems in the marginal dry areas of the world. In these areas, severely affected by water scarcity and erratic rainfall, sheep and goats make a substantial contribution to the livelihood of resource-poor farmers providing dietary protein as well as income for the household. In remote and isolated areas, such as in the mountains and on high altitude ranges, these species may be the only option farmers can use to secure an income and gain access to meat and dairy products. Mainly owned by poor, small-scale producers, in the vast areas of Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) and West Asia and North Africa (WANA), which will be the focus of this paper, the total small ruminant population stands at about 245 million head (FAO, 2007): 196 million head of sheep and goats in Mediterranean West Asia and North Africa (WANA), including Jordan, Iraq and Iran, and 49 million in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC). The relevance of these species is paramount considering the population of people they benefit. Assuming a flock size that fluctuates from 20 to 50 head per family, these animals contribute to the livelihoods of an estimated 5.5-12 million families (Iñiguez, 2005a), furthermore, at an average of 5 members per family, sheep and goats are crucial to the livelihoods of 27.5-60 million people in the region. This paper summarizes trends in small ruminant populations and markets with a focus on the dry areas of CAC and WANA. It also describes production constraints, the research conducted to address these constraints, future research and development needs, and strategies for out-scaling research, including linkages between research and development activities.

Content

• Current population and population trends
• Main production and markets
  
• Meat production
• Milk production
  
• Current constraints - Research to reduce constraints
  
• Conventional forages
• Unconventional forages and by-products
• Animal productivity
  
• Value addition
  
• Animal health
  
• Biodiversity
  
• Implementation of research efforts and development

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