Voices & Interviews

In many parts of the Global South, livestock production does not take place behind factory gates or within fenced industrial farms. Instead, animals are woven into everyday life. Cattle, goats, poultry, and sheep often live beside homes, share courtyards with children, drink from community ponds, and move freely across agricultural landscapes. For millions of smallholder farmers, livestock is not merely an income-generating activity; it represents food security, cultural identity, social status, and a critical safety net during times of economic stress. This intimate human–animal relationship sustains livelihoods, yet it also creates complex and often invisible risks. Everyday livestock management practices—shaped…