download the full article here - EISRJC

RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
INNOVATIVE GOAT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
(REGION II) 1
Wilson A. Cerbito, Jonathan N. Nayga, Diosdado Canete,
Manuel C. Galang, Ricardo Azarcon, Edsel Miguel 2
ABSTRACT
Rural-based enterprise development (RED) is a holistic approach to technology commercialization
and enterprise building. A rural-based enterprise consists of three important components: (1) production
system; (2) organization and management; and (3) linkages.
The RED project is implemented in four (4) regions of the country, Region 1,2,3 and 8. In Region 02,
specifically in Isabela, the focal site is located in the municipality of Echague in Barangays Sto. Domingo,
Anafunan and Malitao Alicia as the control site, in Barangays Aurora, Antonino and Del Pilar.
Comparative baseline data on goats’ technical performance indicate that major problems in goat
production are high mortality rates, due to parasitism and diseases, slow growth of kids resulting to goats
getting smaller, including marketing problems. All farmer-partners (100%) adopted the technology options,
which addresse the mentioned problems. Other technology options preferred by farmers include strategic
deworming, pasture/forage establishment for feeding of improved forage, upgrading and concentrate/vitamin
supplementation with 90.0%, 80.0%, 80.0% and 70.8% adoption rate respectively by farmers-partners in the
focal sites. Goat productivity in focal sites gave evidence of a 110% increase in the number of does from 114
does beginning inventory with 5.7 average doe-level to the current inventory of 240 does with 12.0 average
doe-level from the total 20 farmer-partners.
Upgrading through the infusion of superior breeder bucks coupled with the adoption of complementary
technology options significantly improved the quality of offspring and resulted in bigger size. Birth weights of
goats are 2.35 kg, 12.95 kg for weaning weights, and the marketing weight is 26.55 kg. The total targeted
adopters of the project is 80 farmer-partners including spill-over after two years. As of this report, there are
20 farmer-partners involved in the RED project and 60 farmers partners belongs to the spill-over category.
The study realized the Incremental Cost and Return of a 25-Doe Level Goat Enterprise using
Partial Budgeting Analysis of 1-2 cycles (March 2008-March 2009) for PhP 92, 400, PhP 36,960 for 10 Doe
Level and PhP 18,480 for the 5 Doe Level.
Keywords: Goat, enterprise development
Goats are considered as rural
asset. Although not properly quantified,
the contributions of goats to rural farming
communities are well recognized. Goats
have the potential for increased production in
relatively short period of time. They require
little capital investments, can utilize local
feed resources, and provide opportunities for
women and children to participate in building a
sustainable livestock enterprise while ensuring
food security for the family.
Goats also play other significant socioeconomic
and cultural roles, i.e., insurance,
savings, minimal risk accumulation of assets,
diversification of farm resources, and fulfillment
of various socio-cultural obligations of the
underprivileged rural farmers. However, the
1
2nd Place, Best Development Paper Category, CVARRD 21st RSRDEH Symposium
2
RED Region II Project Team, Isabela State University University
43