Socio-economic determinants of keeping goats and sheep by rural people in southern Benin |
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Authors: | Luc Hippolyte Dossa Barbara Rischkowsky Regina Birner Clemens Wollny |
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Institution: | 1. Institute of Crop and Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics, Georg-August University of Goettingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany 2. International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria 3. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Development Strategy and Governance Division, 2033 K Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20006-1002, USA 4. Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Bingen, Berlinstrasse 109, 55411, Bingen, Germany
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Abstract: | An understanding of factors influencing the decision of rural people to keep sheep and/or goats is crucial when formulating
technologies and policies that support village-based small ruminant production. The knowledge of such factors will also improve
assessment of impact intervention strategies on the livelihoods of rural people. Structured questionnaires administered in
228 households were used to study the ownership patterns of small ruminants in southern Benin. The ownership of goats was
higher (91%) than sheep (35%) because goats are not affected by any ethnic or cultural restrictions. Goats are also perceived
to be a less risky to invest into compared to sheep. Women represented 71% of the keepers of goats. Predictive models of ownership
were developed using logistic regression. The results showed that younger household members (p < 0.05) especially young women (60%) are more likely to own small ruminants. Owners of small ruminants are less likely to
be involved in off-farm activities and would often have no access to credit facilities. Gender, ethnicity, and perception
of risk associated with species are the major factors affecting people’s choice of species. These findings highlight the financing
and insurance roles that small ruminants, particularly goats, are playing in the study area. In order to develop suitable
technologies and formulate policies to improve productivity and enhance livelihoods, the constraints to goat production need
to be identified, and the local knowledge of the keepers should be investigated.
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Keywords: | Goat Ownership patterns Rural development Sheep Smallholder Socio-economics |
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