National Livestock Policy 2015 – 2030.

The National Livestock Policy (NLP) covers key issues relating to: farm animal genetic resources, livestock nutrition, feeds, farm inputs, animal diseases and pests, livestock marketing, food safety, quality assurance, research, extension and food security. Over 90% of Vanuatu’s land area is under indigenous land ownership being livestock an integral activity for subsistence in rural areas and contributing to food security and income generation for families and communities. Livestock farming brings in significant foreign exchange earnings from exported beef meat and other products. The livestock sector is a major contributor to food security and an is essential component of livelihood for a vast majority of the people of the Republic of Vanuatu. The enforcement of established regulations, standards, and rules is dependent on the laws and regulations. Some of these laws are outdated and sometimes overlapping in certain facets of law, resulting in costly institutional and management arrangements. The NLP has been developed by the Department of Livestock within the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB).
Conscious of its past performances the vision of the Livestock Sector states that; “The livestock sector is modern, sustainably managed to benefit all its stakeholders, contribute to greater socio-economic development, and in its endeavours ensures sound environmental and climate proofing practices, including, achieving a national cattle herd of 500,000 heads by year 2025”. The mission of the livestock sector is: To provide the enabling policy environment and recognises latest technologies and knowledge that increases overall productivity of Vanuatu’s Livestock sector and protects it from diverse risks by ensuring that critical services and products are provided equitably to the people of Vanuatu through collaborative arrangements among multiple sectors.
To be successful the National Livestock Policy will: 1. Be linked to and be based upon expanded extension services (both government and farmer associations) firmly rooted in provincial and island centres; 2. Embrace complementary strategies such that the NLP is linked to, supported by and complements other sector policy initiatives; 3. Embrace participation and collaboration such that the NLP is implemented through the active, responsible and committed contribution of all stakeholders; 4. Embrace integration such that the livestock development goals contained herein are supported by and support the achievement of broader sustainable development aspirations; 5. Ensure good governance such that the implementation of the NLP is steered by a transparent and credible authority (e.g. Livestock Advisory Board); 6. Promote ‘No Regrets Development’ such that NLP directives and strategies will not contribute to further climate change impacts or environmental degradation but rather facilitate adaptation, risk reduction and environmental integrity; 7. Enable inclusiveness such that the diverse needs of different stakeholders in Vanuatu (women, men, youth, people with special abilities, rural etc,) all have fair and equitable access to the development outcomes that the livestock sector can create.
The livestock sector must recognise the fragile ecosystems that exist on the islands and all stakeholders must conduct animal farming activities that contribute to maintaining a good environmental integrity. To maintain a good balance between livestock farming and effective environmental management, the government and other stakeholders inform farmers about the negative impacts of animals on the environment when they are not managed properly. Farmers need to know the value of losses they will incur when the environment cannot sustain high stocking rates and the improper dumping of animal waste in the environment. Farmers must also be well informed in disaster risk reduction and mitigation measures they would employ when disasters such as cyclones or El Nino strike the islands.