Rural Enterprise Development (RED) Through Innovative Goat Production Systems

Abstract

The RED project which was implemented in four focal villages (with interventions) in the municipality of Guimba, and control site (no intervention) in Maragol, Science City of Munoz, both in the province of Nueva Ecija in the Philippines aimed to transform goat raising from subsistence farming into a viable livestock-based rural enterprise. Baseline data on biophysical, socioeconomic, institutional, infrastructure, goat production systems, marketing practices and previous technical performance were determined using structured questionnaires, key informants, secondary data and participatory rural appraisal (PRA)-focus group discussion (FGD). Farmer-partners are small hold livestock raisers who cultivate an average of 1.5 ha paddy-rice. Farmer’s skill and knowledge, attitude, skills, aspirations and social competence were enhanced using Crop Animal Systems Research Network (CASREN) modalities, capacity building, and S&T interventions. The adoption of technology mixes learned by farmer-partners that included upgrading, housing/stall feeding, strategic deworming, and intensified use of forage legumes improved goat productivity. Establishment of a community-based selection and breeding system through upgrading using Anglo-Nubian or Boer bucks in the focal sites produced bigger and heavier (p <0.05) kids at birth (2.30 kg), at weaning (13.87 kg), and at slaughter (22.63 kg). The heavier animals at slaughter provided a net benefit of PHP 1,046.40 per head to the farmer-partners. Moreover, animal holdings increased by 55.84% because of the improvement in the quality of their stocks. The pre-weaning mortality was dramatically reduced (p<0.05) from 30.57% to 14.40% while the conception rate was higher at 89.5 % in the focal sites. RED facilitated the empowerment of communities depending on goat for their livelihood, transforming traditional goat raising from subsistence farming to profitable enterprise. RED is not just about successful science-based goat raising, it is about building enterprises and generating opportunities to enrich the lives of farmers.