Until recently the main focus of agricultural development initiatives has been on rural areas with the view
that improved food production in rural areas can supply the expanding urban population. This is especially true for livestock production which has received little attention from R & D initiatives in urban areas. During the International Symposium on Supply of Livestock products to rapidly expanding urban populations peri-urban and urban livestock systems were considered as special cases. Main emphasis was given to rural livestock production systems directed towards the urban demand. Consequently, information on urban and peri-urban livestock production is limited. Recent data reveal that a significant proportion of the world's population growth expected between 2000 and 2030 will occur in urban areas. Rapid urbanization has not been accompanied by equitable economic growth and has resulted in increased
urban poverty. As a result of this worsening of urban poverty, many low-income households suffer from extremely limited
livelihood security. The urban poor engage in urban livestock keeping as a response to limited alternative livelihood options and food insecurity. These livestock keepers, lacking control over and access to basic inputs, are seldom able to access support services and are either harassed or ignored by the city planners