The role of goat production in smallholder systems in Lao PDR: implications for improving productivity and scaling up production

Eoin Liehr; Joanne Millar; Stephen Walkden-Brown; Malavanh Chittavong; Luisa Olmo

doi:10.1071/AN23368

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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The role of goat production in smallholder systems in Lao PDR: implications for improving productivity and scaling up production

Eoin Liehr

^A ^* , Joanne Millar ^B , Stephen Walkden-Brown ^C , Malavanh Chittavong ^C and Luisa Olmo ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

^B Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW, Australia.

^C Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, PO Box 7322, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

^* Correspondence to: eliehr@myune.edu.au

Handling Editor: Russell Bush

Animal Production Science 64, AN23368 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23368

Submitted: 12 November 2023 Accepted: 5 April 2024 Published: 29 April 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Rising demand from Vietnam for Lao goat meat has triggered a rapid increase in goat numbers in Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Despite the increased market opportunity for smallholder farmers in Laos, goat production remains low input within free-grazing management systems.

Aims

Qualitative research was conducted to explore the role that goat production plays in farmers’ livelihood strategies and farming systems, including the benefits and associated trade-offs, so as to inform development approaches to improve goat husbandry and productivity.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 smallholder goat farmers across five villages in southern-central Laos. Interview transcripts were analysed using grounded theory methodology with the assistance of the Nvivo 12 software program.

Key results

The interviews showed that goats were a profitable and liquid asset for farmers. Income from goats was used for small expenses that occurred frequently or at short notice, such as household loans or debts, utility and medical costs and buying food and clothing for family members. Goats had socio-cultural purposes, with some farmers preferring to consume goats during celebratory occasions over other livestock species. Managing goats was easy and benefited the wider farming system by providing goat manure to fertilise crop plantations.

Conclusions

Goat productivity and goats’ unique subsistence and socio-cultural roles can be enhanced by improving goat kid management, goat-house design and cleaning, and by implementing disease management. These activities can be low input.

Implications

The government policy and future development projects in Laos should focus on increasing goat productivity rather than increasing the scale of farmers’ goat enterprises. The majority of farmers may not benefit from significantly increasing the scale of their goat enterprises because of trade-offs associated with free-grazing management, including goats damaging crops or becoming lost or involved in accidents such as dog attacks and car accidents.

Keywords: agricultural development, goat production, Lao PDR, livelihood benefits, scaling up, smallholder farming, socio-cultural purposes, trade-offs.

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