Pig Genetic Resources of Africa

The African pig genetic resource is valuable for food security, income generation, and livelihood sustenance, as well as for sociocultural and religious activities. This chapter highlights the unique adaptive and resilient attributes of the indigenous pig breeds found in various regions of Africa and makes a case for their sustainable improvement, use, and conservation. The first section (Sect. 8.1) highlights the advantages of pigs over other livestock species and the key roles pigs play in enhancing the livelihoods of both rural and urban farmers across the African Continent. The origins, domestication, and classification of pigs, including dispersal to various parts of Africa and their subsequent development into distinct western, eastern, and southern African pig breeds, are detailed in Sects. 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4. Distribution of pigs to North African countries is scanty due to sociocultural and religious restrictions. Sections 8.5 and 8.6 provide information on various pig production systems practiced in rural and urban settings, including the status of existence and implementation of various pig improvement programs across the continent. The sections further highlight status and challenges relating to the conservation of indigenous pigs, considering the proliferation of exotic breeds and prevalence of uncontrolled mating and unregulated crossbreeding, particularly in rural settings where the free-range pig production system dominates. The chapter concludes by presenting general challenges faced by pig farmers in Africa, the existence of opportunities, and possible solutions, including strategies that can be implemented to enhance pig production and profitability in smallholder farms.