Goat farming program

The goat breeding program supports goat farmers and helps families to build up a new goat farm. The development of a goat farm enables self-employment and thus reduces unemployment, but can also serve small farmers as a supplementary income. With additional income goat farmers can afford better health care and education for themselves and their families. In the first program the project involved 30 families. They received young goats with which they can start a goat farming program, as well as training in how to establish and maintain a sustainable goat breeding. In return, they give their first-born goats to the program the following year so that they can be given to new families. In this way, the program continues.

Goat breeding is one of the most lucrative professions in developing countries like Nepal, because there is a great demand for goat meat. Due to the growing population, the production and supply of meat is lower than the demand. According to a data collection by the government, about 5 billion Rs of meat are exported annually from the neighbouring countries India and China.

At the same time hilly villages like Karki Gaun are ideal for goat keeping because there is enough grassland, forest and water available. The activity offers people an uncomplicated opportunity to build up an income individually or in a team in a short period of time. Thus goat farming plays a central role in creating sustainable livelihoods and can contribute to improving the economic situation of the country. Goat breeding gives women and young people in particular a new independence, but also offers all adults returning from abroad the chance to build up an income in their home country.

Goals of the goat farming program:

-to create jobs for young people, women & returnees
-to reduce poverty through independent income
-to provide families with education and health care through additional income
-to make the production of goat meat more sustainable through use of local resources and raw materials