Conclusion
This study confirms the financial role of small ruminants
for poor rural households that have no access to credits and
have few opportunities for off-farm income. Increasing
individual income, financial independence, and bargaining
power while overcoming financial bottlenecks within the
family are the obvious benefits expected from keeping
small ruminants by individual household members, in
particular women.
Women were more inclined towards goats than men. This
is because goats present low risk in investment and are easier
to keep. There is also a cultural bias against sheep in some
ethnic groups. The potential of small ruminants, especially
goats, as an effective and feasible way of enhancing livelihoods
of the resource-poor people is still under-exploited.
During the last decades, a considerable number of research
projects have studied the farming systems in southern Benin.
These studies have mainly concentrated on improving the
crop component of the farming systems while neglecting the
livestock component. As a consequence livestock assets,
especially goats and sheep, have not yet received the
attention they deserve in the poverty reduction strategy
developed by the government of Benin.
The identification of constraints to goat productivity and
the inclusion of women in the development of need-based
technologies and training programs are key factors in an
effort to achieve improved goat production, increase food
security, and enhance rural livelihoods.