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Cornell University

Publication Date

Fall 2016

Program Name

Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management

Abstract

The region of Alaotra Mangoro in central Madagascar is one of the country’s focal points for the development of the dairy industry. The Coopération Décentralisée, a partnership between Alaotra Mangoro and the French department Ille et Vilaine, has since 2007 been offering and subsidizing artificial insemination (AI) services for increased dairy production and the amelioration of local breeds. The program benefits about 150 local dairy farmers, who have noted a significantly higher level of production than those farmers who have chosen to continue using natural service to inseminate their cattle. Artificial insemination use in the region has increased since the initiation of the program, and beneficiaries plan to continue taking advantage of it and believe that the practice will become more widely adopted as long as the price remains affordable. Culturally speaking, there has been very little backlash; there are no fadys, or taboos, concerning artificial insemination use, and there is very little worry that the introduction of new dairy genetics will threaten the indigenous cattle breeds. Though the limited liquid nitrogen supply (in which bull semen must be stored) and a potential imminent per-insemination price raise threaten the sustainability of the program, it has thus far received very positive feedback and encouraging results.

Disciplines

African Studies | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Animal Studies | Community-Based Research | Food Studies | Rural Sociology | Sociology of Culture

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