1.1 Background to the Study
In most African countries, including Nigeria, livestock farming makes a distinctive contribution to the social and economic development of the rural grassroots. Mandleni & Anim, (2012) asserted that many rural households get a living from livestock farming and ponder keeping livestock as a store of wealth. Numerous reasons have contributed both positive and negative to changes in livestock production numbers. These include economic progression and better proceeds (Steinfeld et al., 2006), developments in breeding, nutrition and animal health (Thornton, 2010), changing food favourites (FAO, 2009), as well as and innate increases (Adkinson & Adkinson, 2013) to mention few.
Similarly, population growth, urbanization and economic development, changing livestock market demands, impacts of climate variability and science and technology trends associated to the changes in livestock numbers as opined by Mwangi (2013) to which the socio-economic and environmental factors contributes to livestock production. Moreso, Smith et al. (2013), discussed that livestock production is an indispensable part of the solution to global food security, and a reasonable amount of the world’s food supply comes from systems of which livestock are an important part.
Considering the importance of livestock systems for food security, and their potential to impact on poverty, livelihood, health and nutrition as well as the environment, the livestock sector still receives limited attention in the global agriculture and food debate.
Thus, being a developing country grounded in agriculture, cattle, sheep and goat happens to be an important part of Nigerian agriculture as well as livelihood. It not only offers compost to increase the output of the field but also assist in the livelihood of rural farmers. Cattle, sheep and goat are measured as poor man’s cow (or mini-cow) because they not only supply nutritious and easily digestible milk to their children but also a regular source of additional income for the poor and farmers. Being easily controllable by women and children requiring less capital investment and feeding costs it is a better alternative of engagement for rural poor.
Small ruminant production is important because sheep and goats are easily managed, require a fast return on investment that relatively has small initial outlay and their short generation interval. Though there is numerous scope of commercialization of goat farming, Nigerian farmers are still not able to stand in the rival market due to a lack of methodological awareness and services. It, therefore, seems utmost for the policymakers to take suitable steps to inspire rural farmers which on one hand can form urban migration and on the other side progress the livelihood of the rural poor. The improved invention would also achieve the gap of demand and quantity of cattle, sheep and goat meat in Nigeria prominent to increased GDP of the country. Thus this segment brings an inclusive advantage for the micro as well as macro facet of markets of the country.
1.2 Problem Statement
Small resource-poor people invariably rely on crop production as a sole source of income, thus, the uncertain and erratic rainfalls causes the negative effect of the crops failure on the economy. Therefore the farmers/herders keep other livestock species as security against crop failure and as a means of savings and source of supplementary income. The mixed crop and livestock farming reflects an important element of compliment and integration between these enterprises (Faraz, 2015). Despite the fact of the small number, in comparison to other animals, Sheep, Cattle and Goats provide an important source of subsistence and income to the people of Odeda in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Dimelu et al, (2017) reported that “the livestock sector is overwhelmed by several challenges such as lack of adequate supplies of quality feed and pasture, weak market network, and poor veterinary services (Kassam, 2009; Peeling & Holden, 2004; Mutibvu et al., 2012). Pell et al. (2010), reiterate that the sector is embarrassed by institutions, markets and policy as well as technical issues”. More recently concern on herdsmen-farmers Clashes has appeared in literature and procedure dissertation as one of the daunting tasks facing livestock production (predominantly ruminant) in many emerging countries, the clash is widespread and hence, constitute a terrible task to livestock production in Odeda Local Government as well.
Furthermore, Pastoralist-farmers’ conflict in Nigeria has persisted and stands out as a threat to national food security, livestock production and eradication of poverty with pastoralists often regarded as the most vulnerable (Dimelu et al, 2017). Pastoralist-farmer clashes not only have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of those involved, but the potency of the sustainability of agriculture and pastoral production in West Africa are also unsettle (Moritz, 2010).
Pastoralists are believed to be more susceptible compared with farmers because their cattle can be impounded and/or clutched and released only on payment of a fine. Besides, sometimes they are in the minority and could lack the political power to their advantage. Not like farmers who are progressively integrated and with palpable power to ploy issues, pastoralists often lack western education, stay with their advantage due to the increasingly inappropriate models of land tenure that are unable to work within the political system (Blench & Dendo, 2003). Also, many development initiatives and programmes for addressing rural poverty and elasticity problem of conflicts with a greater risk for pastoralism in Nigeria continues to exacerbate.
Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to fill this important gap by examining the socio-economic characteristics of livestock production in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Technology adoption among farmers constitute and understanding the economic and sociocultural dynamics of livestock production to be very important since these economic and social factors have been proven to affect the livestock farmers.
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