Name Pius Chilonda Age 40 Place of birth Zambia Languages English, Lenje, Tonga, Mbunda, French

Job title
Information Analyst, Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative; Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch

“We can all see that Africa is facing many challenges in terms of economic development, food security and poverty reduction. I come from Africa. This is a situation that affects me personally. We need to find some solutions.

Most of the poor in Africa are rural people. Many of them raise livestock, like cattle, sheep, goats and chickens. My parents own livestock. So did my grandparents. So it’s a subject that’s close to my heart.

In Africa, most of the farmers who are raising livestock don’t think of it as a business. But this is changing. If farmers are to earn more from their livestock, we need to help them get their produce to markets.

African governments and donor countries recognize the potential for livestock to reduce poverty. They’re looking for ways to improve livestock production, marketing and trade. But sound decisions can only be made if they have sound information and knowledge. And this is what FAO provides.

I work for the Pro-Poor Livestock Policy Initiative. Our work helps governments understand the role played by livestock in the economy and the lives of farmers. We collect and analyse information about resources used in livestock production such as land and water. But we also look at social and economic factors, like supply and consumption of livestock products, animal populations, health and trade. We analyse trends and identify what needs to be done to help farmers and national governments benefit more from their livestock in ways that don’t harm the environment.

In addition we give national governments and donors the big picture about livestock in Africa; a really clear understanding of what the situation is like on the ground. With this information they can make livestock policies that can really benefit the poor.”