Livestock and Livelihoods - Escaping Poverty in China Case Study Click on the following links for further information about this case study: Teacher's Notes Student Activities   Rich and poor Which country am I? I have: the third largest land area in the world (after Russia and Canada) the third largest river in the world (after the Nile and the Amazon) the world's fastest growing economy the world's largest population. Which country am I? I have: five of the ten most polluted cities in the world serious water problems - floods, droughts and pollution only 15% of land area suitable for cultivation at least 80 million people living in poverty. If you answered "China" to both these questions, you're correct. China is a land of great contrasts- in geography, climate, economy and people. Most of the 80 million poor in China live in the rural areas where poor soil, extreme seasons of heat and cold, flood and drought make it hard to escape poverty. While local governments within poverty areas are striving very hard to assist people in poverty, they are often constrained by the lack of financial and other resources. A way out? In Duan county in Guangxi region in southern China, an Australian Government funded aid program, implemented by CARE Australia, has been working with local people to help them become self-employed, increase their incomes and move out of poverty. The people have to try to make a living in a place that is mainly steep limestone mountains and where only 8% of the land is suitable for cultivation. The area has hot, wet summers when floods can occur and droughts are common. In such situations, how can poor families increase their incomes and escape poverty? The local branch of the Women's Union, the Duan Women's Union, working with staff of CARE Australia, suggested that the answer lay in the work that women do around the home - one task being to care for animals and grow fruit trees. If the women could rear more animals and grow more fruit, they would have a surplus to sell to markets in the larger towns like the Guangxi capital, Nanning, where people want a regular supply of meat and fruit. If they had training in animal rearing and fruit growing, some money to buy animals and seeds and a reliable water supply for themselves, their animals and plants, the women could produce more to sell to the town markets and make more money. Aid helps livelihoods The Australian aid money was used to run a three-pronged program of training, loans and water tanks for Duan women who live in poor and remote areas. All over the world it has been shown that education and training for women and girls is just as important as for men and boys if families, communities and countries want to overcome poverty. Women tend to invest extra income in improving the family's well-being - better nutrition, health and education for the children. The women in Duan received training in the care of pigs, chickens or goats or in fruit tree growing. Fruit growing and chicken rearing courses were the most popular. Some of the women who attended the courses could not read or write, so the teachers used illustrations and lots of practical work with them. All the women who attended the courses agreed that they would try to teach the skills they learnt to others.   By learning proper animal husbandry, women are better able to manage small business opportunities. A small revolving loan scheme was set up so women could borrow money to buy animals, fodder and seeds. With the money they make, women pay back the loan (and a small amount of interest ) so that other women can borrow the money. This way the loans "revolve" around the community. The dry season in Duan lasts at least three months, so each drop of water becomes "more precious than oil" to the people. Water tanks are a good way to catch and store water, as rural Australians know. In Duan, the local government Water Bureau advised the villagers on how to build and maintain water tanks and where best to put them. Before the water tanks were installed, women used to walk up the steep mountains to springs, collect the water in buckets and carry it down. The two buckets could weigh up to 40 kilograms. Now, more women have access to water close to their homes, saving much time and hard work.   By learning how to build and maintain water tanks, women have access to water close to their home, saving much time and hard work. Set backs It was not a lack of water, but too much of it that set the program back. After two months of non-stop rain, bad floods swept through much of China, including Duan, in July-August 1998. Some animals and many newly planted seedlings were destroyed. Food was scarce, so some families had to exchange animals or cash for foods like rice and corn. Loan repayments had to be extended by a year to help people recover from the disaster. Achievements Even with these setbacks, families involved in the program still increased their incomes, some by over 100%. Approximately 80% of women participating in the program have raised their incomes sufficiently to move above the poverty line for Duan county. The supply of animals also helped families avoid starvation during the floods. The water tanks proved their worth when the floods of 1998 were followed by the longest dry season in Duan county history. The tanks supplied water for about 2,400 people and 2,000 animals. A number of other villagers have asked for water tanks. The Duan Women's Union gained valuable experience through managing the loan fund. It now has the experience, skills and capacity to handle larger projects which can help even more people in the area. This case study shows that even in a place that does not have many natural and material resources, people are the most important resource for change. Education and training, small loans and access to water can help women increase their money making opportunities and help their families escape poverty.   Top © Commonwealth of Australia