Effect of Goat Production to the Environment in the Humid Tropics of the World

Smiles I Ume,C.I Ezeano,P.C Jiwuba

doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/sfp.6.41

Smiles I Ume, C.I Ezeano + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/sfp.6.41

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Abstract

The research was aimed at identifying the determinants of goat farmers’ choice of adaptation methods to climatic change in South east Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to identify the farmers’ adaptation methods, identify the determinants of choice of the adaptation methods, the limiting factors to farmers’ adaptation options in the study area. A total of 120 famers were selected using multistage random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage responses and multi- nominal logit model and factor analysis. The adaptation strategies used by the goat farmers were use of use of nutrient-dense diets, drinking water, planting of tree as shade and location of house in the farm. Additionally, the effects of goat production to the environment were deforestation, land degradation, climate change, air pollution and rodent menace. In addition, goat Production technologies to curtail environmental pollution were precious feed management, litter management, use of hydrophilic products, use of rat poison and trap, adequate housing and proper manure disposal. The factors influencing farmers’ choice of adaptation methods were level of education, membership of cooperative, farming experience, poor access to extension services and access to credit. The determinant factors to the adoption of goat production related environmental technologies were level of education, extension visit, off farm income, farming experience and membership of organization. The result also showed that the major factors limiting factors to adoption of the technologies were poor access to funds, poor access to improved technology and poor access to heat resistant goat breed. There is need to enhance farmers’ access to credit, extension services and educational programs

Highlights

Goat population was estimated at 76 million with more than 53.2 million from developing countries [1]
Goat production is endeared to mostly small holder farmers in sub Saharan Africa through possession of certain attributes over many small livestock, lower cost of production, ability to utilize poorer quality forages to meat, milk and hide, browsers of wide range of forage and require comparatively fewer resources such as labor and buildings [5]
Number of years of Head of Household Farming experience number of years Access to extension services = 1, otherwise, 0 Number of years spent in farming Access to Credit,1; otherwise, 0 Number of years of schooling 1=yes and 0=no Male; 1, female, 2, Divorced, 3, Widowed, 4 (Access=1,otherwise=0)

Summary

Introduction

Goat population was estimated at 76 million with more than 53.2 million from developing countries [1]. Goat helps to boost global kilocalorie consumption and protein consumption, contributes to the livelihoods and source of employments for the people, creating new employment opportunities in the industrial and service sectors, increasing external trade [3], used for religious and cultural rituals, improvement of soil fertility through its dung, for hide and skins and insurance for saving against adverse conditions [4]. Goat production is endeared to mostly small holder farmers in sub Saharan Africa through possession of certain attributes over many small livestock, lower cost of production, ability to utilize poorer quality forages to meat, milk and hide, browsers of wide range of forage and require comparatively fewer resources such as labor and buildings [5]. Chevron is lower in calories, total fat and saturated fat compares to other livestock meat, higher in protein and digestible [6, 7]

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