Advantages of Animal Husbandry Industry in China’s Fight against Poverty

Zhenxing ZOU, Qiaolian CHAI, Li ZHANG, Fanrong ZENG, Xiaoxia HE, Guanghuan LIANG

1. Hunan Polytechnic of Environment and Biology, Hengyang 421005, China; 2. Hengyang Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hengyang 421001, China; 3. Hengyang Xiangzhangyuan Ecological Agriculture Development Technology Co., Ltd., Hengyang 421000, China

Abstract Poverty alleviation needs developing the industries related to the economic income. Only when the industry develops, can the income of the poverty-stricken people be increased fundamentally, accordingly help eradicate the poverty from the root cause. Compared with other industries, the animal husbandry industry has unique advantages for poverty alleviation and assistance in poverty alleviation. The animal husbandry breeding industry is characterized by short breeding time, relatively high economic income, and farmers do not need a high educational level, so the breeding threshold is low. For poverty-stricken farmers, this is a feasible way to help them get rid of poverty. Combined with the experience of poverty alleviation through developing the animal husbandry industry, this paper discussed the development advantages of the animal husbandry industry in poverty alleviation, analyzed the main ways of exerting and applying the advantages. It is intended to provide a certain reference for the targeted poverty alleviation through developing the animal husbandry industry.

Key words Animal husbandry industry, Poverty alleviation, Advantages, Economic income

1 Introduction

The animal husbandry industry has many advantages in the fight against poverty. Compared with other industries, it has unique advantages. Poverty alleviation by developing industries and businesses is a key measure for targeted poverty alleviation, and has practical effect for the completion of the poverty alleviation work. Animal husbandry industry occupies an important position in China’s main agricultural areas. In many provinces, animal husbandry industry plays an important role in rural economic development. In the economic development of rural areas, the majority of farmers takes animal husbandry as their main income source.

2 Advantages of animal husbandry industry in the fight against poverty

The animal husbandry industry has distinct advantages in promoting the poverty alleviation.

(i) From the perspective of geographical location and natural conditions, China’s poverty-stricken areas are mainly concentrated in rural areas and remote mountainous areas. Most of poverty-stricken areas have fewer natural resources, few high-tech industries and insufficient high-quality talents. Remote mountainous areas are conducive to the development of animal husbandry industry.

(ii) In terms of the regional characteristics, most impoverished mountainous areas have more green waters and green mountains, and the ecological environment is better, which is particularly beneficial to the development of animal husbandry industry. In particular, rural areas and remote mountainous areas have relatively small populations and abundant plants, which meet the environmental requirements for producing high-quality, green and safe animal husbandry products. More importantly, it is easier to build a new type of farming-pastoral relationship that combines planting and breeding and circular development in poverty-stricken areas.

(iii) Compared with other industries, the threshold of animal husbandry is lower. As long as farmers are willing to engage in animal husbandry industry and invest less cost, they can breed animal husbandry. In rural areas, animals often live on natural grasses and other plants. The cost is relatively lower.

(iv) The animal husbandry has a short production cycle, and breeding animals such as pigs, poultry, rabbits, and pigeons can obtain certain profits in a short period of time. It can be said that people engaged in the animal husbandry can get a certain income every year. Leading enterprises driving the development of characteristic animal husbandry is a main model of current animal husbandry development, which has a driving effect on realizing the poverty alleviation.

In the past, the development level of animal husbandry industry in poverty-stricken areas was low, the scale of breeding was small and scattered, the level of mechanization was insufficient, and the degree of production organization was low. Besides, due to the long distance from developed cities, there were certain limitations in sales channels and it was difficult to form a production scale and industrial advantages. With the continuous advancement of mechanized production and the advancement of technology, modern animal husbandry is characterized by standardization, scale, and informationization. The industrial system is relatively complete, the production technology is relatively advanced, and a large amount of work has achieved mechanical automation. In addition to the promotion of information technology, the main advantage of animal husbandry industry lies in the long industrial chain and close connection with the market. Modern animal husbandry industry has been used to drive the economic development of poverty-stricken areas, the "blood-making" capability is outstanding and poverty alleviation can achieve long-term and stable results. Farmers can obtain long-term family income through developing the animal husbandry, which has a positive effect on eradicating the root causes of poverty.

3 Main ways to utilize the advantages of animal husbandry industry in poverty alleviation

3.1 Strengthening leading enterprises and attaching importance to the construction of professional organizations

To strengthen the market competitiveness of the rural animal husbandry industry, it is necessary to take into consideration the market demands and the dynamic changes in demands. Combining the specialized animal husbandry cooperatives and modern animal husbandry industrial bases can raise the operation level of farmers. To vigorously promote the development model of "leading enterprises + specialized cooperative organizations + moderate-scale breeding farmers", it is necessary to improve the operating quality of leading enterprises. Besides, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of specialized economic organizations for animal husbandry, guide farmers to develop livestock and poultry standardization, and reasonably control the breeding scale of farmers. For example, breeding cooperatives can be built in areas where farmers are relatively concentrated, to form a unified, scientific scale of development, and then the livestock and poultry can be purchased and sold through cooperatives.

3.2 Attaching importance to the construction of the promotion system and promoting the construction of scientific and technological achievements

It is necessary to improve the construction of aquaculture technology promotion system, and attach importance to the training of relevant professionals and the continuous development of technology. We should actively strengthen the establishment of scientific and technical personnel, effectively promote the transformation of breeding technology achievements, and promote science and technology that enhance the development level of animal husbandry industry. It is feasible to take advantage of Internet platform to disseminate the knowledge of animal husbandry to farmers engaged in animal husbandry with the help of intellectual poverty alleviation, science and education and other platforms, and improve the farmers’ breeding ability. For example, we can use multiple channels such as regular lectures and knowledge manuals to promote and popularize breeding technology. Combined with the actual problems encountered in the development of the local animal husbandry industry, it is recommended to prepare a targeted knowledge manual, and set a dedicated service hotline for farmers for consultation on the problems encountered in the breeding process.

3.3 Concentrating resources to break through the problem and ensuring the maximum benefit of funds

The effective integration of financial resources can optimize the development of animal husbandry industry. Based on the principle of "unchanged channels and no chaotic investment", we can combine the livestock husbandry poverty alleviation plan with the construction of rural breeding bases, as well as the construction of modern livestock industry parks. To achieve scientific standards and overall planning, in terms of capital investment, it is necessary to make careful planning to use existing capital conditions to create the greatest economic benefits. Scientific construction and management of breeding bases is an important factor in helping the healthy development of animal husbandry industry. The investment of funds is related to cost and profit. Therefore, in the allocation of funds, it is necessary to combine the problems in the development of animal husbandry and invest funds in a targeted manner to promote the high-quality development of animal husbandry industry.

3.4 Constantly innovating the development model and improving the animal husbandry development mechanism

The development model and development mechanism are directly related to the development level of animal husbandry industry. It is necessary to give full play to the linking function, tie function, organizational function and carrier function of the animal husbandry specialized cooperative organization. The main methods are as follows: comprehensively promoting industrial development mechanisms such as "foster breeding", "account breeding", "order breeding", and "participating through using land as share",

etc.

In addition to promoting the development of the animal husbandry industry, it is also necessary to vigorously promote the development of related industries. For example: breeding livestock and poultry farms, feed enterprises, livestock product processing enterprises,

etc.

They are the most influential companies in the development of animal husbandry. It can be said that there is an inseparable relationship between the development of these enterprises and the development of animal husbandry industry. In order to solve the problem of farmers’ difficulty in investing in breeding costs, it is also necessary to form a mechanism for partial joint support, a multi-department linkage industrialization mechanism in which farmers in cooperatives and financial, guarantee, and insurance institutions participate at the same time. Various departments and organizations should focus on the demands of farmers and cooperate with each other, provide various assistances such as credit assistance, project support, departmental services,

etc.

, to create sufficient conditions to help farmers get out of poverty. In order to ensure the stability of economic benefits, it is also necessary to establish the animal health protection mechanism, natural disaster prevention and control mechanism, and risk sharing mechanism to ensure the stability of poverty alleviation work.

3.5 Strengthening the endogenous motivation of poor farmers to develop industries

It is required to persist in the organic integration of material poverty alleviation and spiritual poverty alleviation. In order to get rid of poverty, it is not sufficient to rely merely on economic and industrial support. It also requires farmers to have the belief in overcoming the poverty. Therefore, in the process of poverty alleviation, only promoting the development of technology and industry is the only way to help the poor farmers. Farmers who want to completely get rid of poverty also need to strengthen their confidence, not wait to depend on others, work hard, and actively use the guidance and assistance of various parties, and make effort to get more economic profits. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the self-development ability of the poor farmers, strive to improve their living environment and spiritual state, and assist them in getting rid of poverty from the environmental and ideological aspects.

3.6 Providing project guidance and making development planning

It is recommended to make proper arrangement of breeding projects in accordance with the work requirements of targeted poverty alleviation, combining the actual conditions of poor villages and poor farmers and existing breeding resources. At the same time of promoting animal husbandry in rural areas, it is also necessary to provide feedback on the progress and quality of poverty alleviation work so as to obtain more support. Poverty-stricken farmers can take the breeding model of "company + base + cooperative + farmer" to gradually increase the scale of development of small industries. By improving the quality of livestock and poultry products and combining ecological recreational breeding, they can create their own brand, so as to develop a bright road for poverty alleviation. Furthermore, it is possible to establish special poverty alleviation workshops in accordance with local policies, and encourage poor people who do not have the ability to invest in breeding to join the work of the enterprise through the mode of working with shares and binding interests, and thus obtain a relatively stable income.

3.7 Providing technical guidance and industrial assistance

The development of animal husbandry industry requires not only breeding technology, but also animal epidemic prevention and disease treatment. Providing technical training for the backbone of animal husbandry and veterinary and poor farmers is a basic method for providing technical support when farmers need guidance. Through improving the farming knowledge of farmers, it is able to improve the farming technology and feeding management skills of poor farmers, and avoid economic losses caused by diseases. We should implement poverty alleviation through increasing people’s confidence and helping them acquire knowledge and skills, give full play to the role of animal husbandry and veterinary professional and technical personnel. In accordance with the actual situation of the local breeding industry, we should encourage relevant professional and technical personnel to take the initiative to help poor farmers in need of technical support, carry out special management of poor farmers, establish special family files of poverty-stricken breeding farmers, and assign special technical talents to provide regular guidance and services for them.

3.8 Transforming production methods and developing large-scale breeding

Technological innovation, brand development and marketing are all related to the development of the industry. From traditional small-scale breeding to large-scale breeding, mechanized and scientific breeding, these are important parts to ensure the effect of poverty alleviation. The transformation of the breeding production method can integrate the resources of smaller scale farmers, and enable the farmers to form a scientifically managed breeding base, strictly manage the sanitary conditions and animal health quarantine conditions in the base, and realize the unified product identification and sales, so as to provide safe and green meat products to the masses. Combined with the characteristics of the geographical environment of rural and mountainous areas, it is recommended to promote the sustainable development cycle model of "high quality, high efficiency, safety and ecology". The feed used by the animal husbandry industry should try to use pure natural and pollution-free plants to prevent the spread of diseases in the breeding farm as much as possible. In order to ensure the quality of the development of animal husbandry, it is necessary to well complete the inspection, prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and other epidemics. In order to ensure the quality of meat products and the advantages of the animal husbandry industry, we will earnestly carry out the immunization of major animal diseases such as swine fever, anthrax, and cattle failure to guarantee the healthy development of the animal husbandry industry and the victory of poverty alleviation.

4 Conclusions

The healthy and sustainable development of the animal husbandry industry is an important way to take the advantages of the natural environment to achieve poverty alleviation in poverty-stricken grassroots areas. Through combining regional development characteristics and livestock industry technology to create a safe and pollution-free characteristic livestock brand, it can not only meet the demands of market economy development, but also achieve a complete victory in the fight against poverty and completely eradicate the poverty from its root causes.