Small ruminants — that is, sheep and goats — have an important contribution to make to sustainable development. A high proportion of the world's sheep and goat populations are found in Africa and Asia, mainly on mixed farms under rainfed systems, and they are significant assets for poor people. They provide meat, milk, fibre and skins and act as a buffer against environmental fluctuations, reducing risks for the farmer. Current levels of productivity are low, and for meat the gap between output and demand is widening. Improvements in the productivity of small ruminants and in their contribution to development will depend on increased efficiency in the use of goats and sheep, integrated use of natural resources, targetting of the poor, wider use of improved technologies at the farm level, and greater attention to ecosystem and ecoregional development.
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