Socio-economic Characteristics of Subsistent Small Ruminant Farmers in Three Regions of Northern Ghana

Type Journal Article - Asian Journal of Applied Science and Engineering
Title Socio-economic Characteristics of Subsistent Small Ruminant Farmers in Three Regions of Northern Ghana
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 8
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 93-108
URL http://publicationslist.org/data/ajase/ref-19/AJASE 8.10.pdf
Abstract
The study seeks to characterise socio-economic and farm characteristics of small ruminant farmers in three regions of northern Ghana. Two hundred and forty-nine (249) respondents were selected using multistage sampling procedure. Analytical tools included descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Majority of respondents were males (71.5%), household-heads (65.9%), married (73.5%), Muslims (62.1%) and uneducated (63.9%). Access to extension (29.8%) and credit (14.9%) services was low. Farmers’ average age (47.29±16.00 years) and sheep holdings (12.14±9.60) were similar across the regions, but family size (11.56±7.83), goat holdings (11.89±9.32), and purpose of rearing small ruminants differ significantly. Adult children and female spouses contribute meaningfully to small ruminant management practices. Thus, socio-economic and farm characteristics offer significant input in designing effective livestock programs.

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