Research and Training Strategies for Goat Production Systems in ...

secondary cities and 35% in small towns (Rogerson, 1998). This is partially due to high
levels of unemployment in these areas: metropolitan areas: 21%, secondary cities: 27%,
small towns: 28%. Of particular concern are the unemployment statistics for the
economically important 15-24 year old age group: metropolitan areas: 36% (males) and 43%
(females); secondary cities: 48% (males) and 59% (females); small towns: 47% (males) and
54% (females). As these communities are free of the labour and land tenure constraints
which apply to rural communal areas, the issues of unemployment and poverty may
represent opportunities for research aimed at establishing and improving small-farmer
animal production enterprises. Small farmer systems have been established elsewhere in the
world with much success (notably so in Kenya) and represent a range of opportunities for
the animal scientist. There is no reason why the products of >high-tech= research developed
for intensive and first-world farming systems should not be implemented in small-farmer
systems; in fact the implementation of technologies such as artificial insemination, hormone
administration and specialised nutrient supplementation would be far easier in the case of the
small-farmer with 6 stall-fed cows than in the case of the intensive commercial farmer with
600 cows at pasture. Similarly, it is not hard to envisage that future technologies such as the
strategic administration of compounds which regulate gene expression at particular
physiological stages would be safer and easier to apply in a small-farmer system than in any
other system.
Conclusions
In conclusion, it is proposed that the lack of any real improvement in the efficiency of
animal production in communal areas (despite many research projects) indicates that the real
issue to be addressed in this situation relates more to research directed at the sociology of
land tenure systems than to animal science research. In an assessment of animal agriculture
in Sub-Saharan Africa, it was concluded that ΑStrategies for pastoral systems should focus
on the acquisition of land use rights for grazers and the establishment of locally managed
and controlled land and water management systems (Winrock International, 1992). In
contrast, the latter report states that Αmost of the successful projects have been mixed croplivestock
projects such as smallholder dairy development (Kenya) ... and smallholder
systems of fattening (Cameroon, Nigeria, and Senegal)≅. It is proposed that the real issue for
prioritisation of animal science and goat research in South Africa relates to small-farmer
enterprises among the urban poor.
References:
Etherton, T. D., 1998. Emerging strategies for enhancing growth - is there a biotechnology
better than growth promotants? Biotechnologie, agronomie societe et environment, (special
issue), pp 16.
Mahanjana, A.M., 1999. Factors affecting goat production in a communal farming system.
M.Inst.Agrar. Dissertation, University of Pretoria.
Nieuwoudt, W.L., 1998. The demand for protein feed in South Africa for 2000, 2010 and
2020: Part II. Agrecon, 37: 143-159.
Rogerson, C.M., 1998. Urban agriculture and urban poverty alleviation: South African
debates. Agrecon, 37: 171-183.
4