Many local breeds and minor species are in decline because they cannot compete with high-yielding specialized breeds. Conserving these local breeds is important as many have unique traits, such as hardiness and disease resistance that are vital for the future of livestock production. One way to ensure the survival these breeds may be to sell their products in high-value specialized markets. This book presents eight examples of the use of such an approach. These case studies are grouped by type of product: (i) wool and cashmere; (ii) meat and hides; and (iii) milk. They cover a range of species (Bactrian camel, dromedaries, goats, and sheep) and seven countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The case studies are followed by a final section that analyses lessons learned. It shows how livestock-keeping communities have kept local breeds in use, while enabling the people who raise them to improve their livelihood.

While local breeds are suited to supplying niche markets – because of cultural factors and the unique characteristics of their products – some of these specificities (e.g. coloured wool) may hinder access to global mass markets. Such products need market development, diversification, market penetration and product development. The case studies describe various types of intervention that contribute to the addition of value – animal production, processing, and organizing and building value chains – with the main focus on processing and building value chains. The majority of the initiatives described involved a champion – a person or organization with a special interest in promoting the enterprise and making sure it worked. The book provides recommendations for those who are already in this business or who want to become involved. It makes nice reading with high degree of practicability.