Comparative performance and analysis of indigenous pig production systems in Cameroon: constraints and socio-economic characterization in three agro-ecological zones

Abstract

A socio-economic characterization of the indigenous pig farming systems, performance analysis, and constraints were carried out in three agro-ecological areas of Cameroon such as Sudano-Sahelian (SSA), Western highland (WHA) and Humid forest with bimodal rainfall Areas (HBA). A questionnaire was administered to 157 farmers. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics procedure. The results showed that pig farming was mainly practised by men over forty year old (79.1%), with a low level of technical supervision and having reached the level of primary education (44.6%). The production systems in HBA and SSA are mostly extensive whereas in WHA these systems were mostly semi-intensive. The piggeries were made with wooden pens (61.1%). The farms were more prone to feed shortages in the SSA and WHA. The animals were mostly fed once (45.8%) or twice (38.9%) a day. Animals were largely unvaccinated (40.8%) and not dewormed (59.9%). The SSA farming system was the least efficient in terms of gross added value per sow per year (GVA /sow/year = 398 USD) while the WHA and HBA (GVA/ sow/year in the WHA = 1305 USD and GVA /sow/year in the HBA= 1210 USD). This characterization is important for future improvements in livestock management, especially with the indigenous pig farming system in Cameroon.