Determinants of motives for keeping small ruminants: Evidence from the Northern Ghana

This study aims to identify the motives for keeping small ruminants and factors that influence farmers’ motives for keeping small ruminants in Northern Ghana. A sample of four hundred small ruminant holders were randomly selected for the study. Multinomial logistic model was used for empirical analysis. The results show that small ruminant farmers mainly keep the small ruminants for food, security/insurance, source of income, and pension. The results further show that credit has a negative effect on pension motive for keeping small ruminants relative to food motive. The value of animals has a positive effect on the pension motive relative to food motive. Age has a negative influence on saving motive relative to food motive. Animal value has a positive effect on saving motive relative to food motive. Also, monthly income, and other type of businesses have positive influence on income motive relative to food motive. Also, years of education and other type of farming activities have positive influence on security/insurance motives relative to food motive.

The study brings to light small ruminant farmers’ motive for keeping animals and factors that influence their motives.