Income over loss: How management systems lower mortality and increase farm incomes from small ruminants in urbanizing Africa
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41340%2F25%3A105946" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41340/25:105946 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107626" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107626</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107626" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107626</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Income over loss: How management systems lower mortality and increase farm incomes from small ruminants in urbanizing Africa
Original language description
Small ruminant (sheep and goat) production is often promoted as low-labor and low-investment, yet empirical evidence on how management systems affect performance in urban and peri-urban contexts remains limited. This study investigates the determinants of management system choice among livestock farmers and evaluates the causal effects of these systems on mortality rates and farm income. Using data from 400 randomly sampled farmers in Ejisu and Juaben (Ashanti region, Ghana) during April-May 2024, we employed a multinomial logit model to analyze system adoption drivers. A multinomial treatment effect model further isolated the causal impacts of management systems on outcomes. Results indicate that 50.5 % of farmers use free-range systems, 30 % semi-intensive, and 20 % intensive systems. Key determinants for adopting semi-intensive or intensive systems over free-range include: gender, education, herd size, extension service access, primary occupation, religious affiliation, marital status, engagement in non-farm businesses, and market proximity. Critically, semi-intensive and intensive systems significantly reduced mortality rates and increased farm income compared to free-range systems. These findings demonstrate that targeted investments in livestock infrastructure (e.g., housing), veterinary services, extension support, and technical training can enhance productivity and economic returns for smallholders. To ensure sustainable urban small ruminant production, policies must be context-specific, accounting for the distinct requirements of each management system. Additionally, the extensive or free-range systems could be improved by adopting animal tethering on communal lands to reduce mortality rates.
Czech name
—
Czech description
—
Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
—
OECD FORD branch
40101 - Agriculture
Result continuities
Project
—
Continuities
S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Small Ruminant Research
ISSN
0921-4488
e-ISSN
0921-4488
Volume of the periodical
253
Issue of the periodical within the volume
DEC 2025
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
12
Pages from-to
—
UT code for WoS article
001588552600001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105017696918