Service providers in the goat industry in Nepal

FAO, Nepal

There are several service providers extending different services in following areas: - Technical service: DLSOs and service centers, Agro-vets, private paravets. - Financial services: Financial institutions (MFIs, Banks, Cooperatives), PAF, NGOs, - Marketing services: Private sectors (traders, meat entrepreneurs), cooperatives, institutional consumers - Input services (supplies): DLSO [District Livestock Services Office ] , LFLP [Leasehold Forestry and Livestock Program ], CLDP [Community Livestock Development Project ], I/NGOs, Agro-vets. - Research services: NARC [Nepal Agriculture Research Council ], NARDF [National Agriculture Research and Development Fund ], Universities, LFLP, CLDP

The analysis of the roles, strengths and weaknesses of various actors mentioned reveals that there is not a single agency that is strong enough to provide all kinds of services from single window. As a result, the producers have to run around knocking different agencies for different services. Various service providers are specialized in different areas or fields therefore; it is a situation of complementarities between different service providers rather than competitiveness among them.

The 'Goat sub-sector analysis cum baseline Study' by DVN [Development Vision ], reported that goat production system is increasingly moving towards subsistence mode. Households who used to keep more than 20 goats in the past are keeping only 4- 5 goats nowadays. Major reasons for reduced herd size is due to; reduced grazing opportunities mainly because of expansion of community forestry, limited land with the poor to grow on farm fodder trees and forages for stall feeding, goat programs run mainly for poverty reduction rather than for commercial objective. There is big opportunity for commercial goat farming in two aspects; a) improving profitability of goat raising b) high and unmet demand for both breeding goats and goat meat.