Case Study Observation On Challenges To Adopt Intensive Livestock Farming Systems in East New Britain Province

Volume 6, Issue 2, February – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Case Study: Observation on Challenges to Adopt

Intensive Livestock Farming Systems in East New
Britain Province
Limai Lan and Famundi Naoka
Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment,
Private Mail Bag Service, Kokopo, East New Britain Province
Abstract:- The study was done in Gazelle District of East The current investigation reveals that there is no
New Britain Province from October-November, 2020. adoption of intensive livestock system in Gazelle district
Cluster farmer groups of four ecological communities representative of East New Britain Province. Higher number
were randomly selected for the study. It was conducted of farmers (53%) responded with the reason being “lack of
to assess the adoption of two farming systems; extensive training” for livestock farmers.
and intensive farming systems. Four constrains were
introduced to the farmers to provide likelihood evidence II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
on lack of livestock intensification. The data was
processed using spread sheet MS 2010 to present the  Ecological zones
parameter proportions in pie charts. Lack of livestock East New Britain province is demarcated with four
knowledge and skills (53%) was identified as one of the administrative zones, Rabaul, Kokopo, Gazelle and Pomio
main challenges of livestock intensification in rural with a land mass of 15,816 km2. East New Britain province
farming communities. Livestock farmers require has a population of 328, 369 (2011 national census) shares a
evaluation strategies from the co-corporative efforts of land border with West New Britain province and a marine
government agencies, economic facilitators and border with New Ireland province. The province operates its
institution to design a sustainable training package for cash economy heavily on subsistence sector, cocoa and
livestock farmers. copra being the main cash earners for the farmers.
(wikipidia.org, 2021). Gazelle district was included in the
Keywords:- Gazelle District, Cluster Farmer, study involving 40 local livestock farmers. Gazelle district
Intensification, Challenges. has the largest land mass with the highest population density
of 35km-2. Most people live on the Gazelle Peninsula where
I. INTRODUCTION the dominant ethnic group is the Tolai population with
expected high living standards (>200PGK person-1year-1)
Livestock is reared using various husbandry practices relative to most other regions of PNG (Hanson et al., 2001).
to produce food (meat, eggs, milk and other by-products) to Most people living on the Gazelle Peninsula have road
sustain food security for the growing population (Cornut et access to their villages. However, the Bainings and the
al., 2012; Gonzalez and Rodenas, 2020). Gonzalez and Pomios, are away from government services such as road
Rodenas, 2020, stressed the importance of livestock as it links which take several days to travel by foot from the
contributes 40% of total agriculture value to support nearest road to excess services from their villages (Liu. et
livelihoods of 1.3 billion people and is among the fastest al., 2002).
growing sector in Agriculture. This is achieved using
different animal species (swine, poultry, small and large Face-to-face interview using the designed
ruminants) utilizing different sets of resources, in a wide questionnaire was conducted based on the farming systems.
spectrum of agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions Four reasons were investigated to support significant
(Steinfeld et al., 2006). Given the diversified livestock adoption skills while the responses of the farmers were
species there are certain patterns of farming systems that recorded from four clusters of ten farmers. Farmers of Vudal
have been categorised into various livestock production block, Kereba block, Vunapalading block and Napapar2
systems. These systems have been deﬁned on the basis of village were selected as study zones. The assessment
land use by livestock, and for this purpose the distinction include; assessing the farm structure, water supply, waste
between grazing systems, mixed farming systems and management, flock size, production level, feeds and feeding
industrial (or landless) systems has been widely accepted systems as primary indicators of intensive farming system.
(FAO,1994). This research is discussed based on the
adoption of livestock farming systems in East New Britain  Livestock Farming Systems
province. Investigations are based on the interests to identify Extensive and intensive livestock farming systems
the constraints since establishment of DAL or other were assessed during the interview from October-
government institutions in Papua New Guinea. November, 2020. Extensive farming is practiced with small
flock size, small land area, low productivity per animal, and
IJISRT21FEB458 www.ijisrt.com 1024

ISSN No:-2456-2165
the farmers require less capital and resources (Gonzales and  Data Analysis
Godenas, 2020). Livestock is not a committed responsibility The questionnaires were collated to calculate the
for a farmer. Most of the commercial practices are absent in frequencies of observed farmers. The parameters; intensive
this farming system. farming, extensive farming and the four challenges were
analysed using pie charts in the spread sheet 2010. These
On the other hand, intensive farming system is results are represented in the percentages with their
defined as a self-sufficient system with flock size targeting respective proportions.
high productivity per animal, proper housing, adequate
watering and feeding system, full time labour employment III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
and fixed market outlet. The animal system is calculated as
total impact per unit of product driven by production  Common Types of Livestock Farming Systems
efficiency (Garnsworthy, 2012). There is 100% responses indicating existence of
extensive (conventional) farming practices within Gazelle
Village chickens, swine, ducks and broiler production District. Extensive farming system is a free-range
systems were observed during the survey. These livestock production practices with less commitments to improve
require small land area to become as an indicator of husbandry practices or increase production. These responses
intensified farming system of the surveyed zones. are relevant as it stretches to compliment the observations
done with Muscovy ducks (n=30 farmers) in 2012. In the
Given a certain arable land area, mixed farming survey of 2012, only 6% of farmers from Kokopo district
systems (“integrated farming system”) or other farming had an experience to raise Muscovy ducks while 56%
systems defined within either subsistence or extensive (Gazelle 15%, Kokopo 13% and Rabaul 29%) have no
farming systems (Rutenberg, 1971 & 1980) are options left knowledge on duck farming. The survey also indicated that
for the farmers. Sere and Steinfeld, 1996 described the land in the last twenty years adoption of Muscovy duck
use in proportions (cropping-15%, >10% dry matter management practices had been given less attention to
produced from crop residues or > 10% of the total value of improvement. The current observation showed no signs of
production comes from the non-livestock activities). A intensification in livestock farming system. Village chickens
commercial criterion has to be set inclusive of 10% are also farmed on free range in their back yards with poor
threshold production level (Thornton et al., 2002). However, management practices in the observed backyard farms
Kambou 1995 criticized stating that “there is no organised affecting reproduction and other economic traits.
livestock system, traditionally. The pigs, fowls and the
village chickens comprised the total complex system the
subsistence farmer engages.
Despite Muscovy ducks raised under various roofs production related to reasons admitted by farmers
(50%-sago roof, 33% -kunai grass and 33% -coconut interviewed.
fronds), production of Muscovy duck was low. Production
constraints exist in three districts (Gazelle, Kokopo and  Challenges of Livestock Intensification
Rabaul) affecting 67% of farmers in Gazelle district The farmers admittance on the none adoption of
producing less than 10 duckling-1yr. Kokopo District has intensive farming system was directed towards lack of funds
44% of farmers producing less than five to ten ducklings-1yr. (incentives), Lack of knowledge & skills, Limited land area
Observations on swine production system are similar. and seasonal production. These are in the respective
Farmers raise swine on free range only to meet their cultural proportions of 17%, 53%, 15% and 15%. Higher number of
obligations. There are doubts to intensify livestock farmers lack required livestock knowledge to increase their

ISSN No:-2456-2165
capacities and level of innovation. In Muscovy duck survey which had badly resulted in very poor management practices
of 2012 responses on extension and training received the related to feeding, breeding and marketing of ducks. It is
claim that low duck production was experienced due to total believed from observations that similar constraints are faced
absence of extension services. Farmers of Gazelle, Kokopo by farmers concerning other livestock species leading to
and Rabaul districts lack improved duck farming skills experience low livestock production curves.
Limited land area was expressed with concerns that interests of repeated farming. The husbandry practices of
expansion to farm livestock on a larger production scale is formulating required feed nutrients, breeding programs,
inevitably impossible. Most farmers of surveyed areas are housing and diseases management skills are poorly adopted
settlers after the volcanic eruption in 1994. Each farmer to affect livestock intensification.
occupies an approximate land area of 500m2 with an
estimation average of less than 200 cocoa trees and Farmers also claimed to blame low income as one of
residential area. Most farmers identified land issue as one of the four main constraints identified during the survey. Low
the main socio-economic factors related to high population income is exceptionally correct for the farmers to state their
density (91m-2). Cornut et al., 2012 emphasised that the opinions relating to pricing challenges (Gonzales and
dynamics of family livestock farming in extensive livestock Godenas, 2020) to invest in their Small-Medium Enterprise
farming territories are crucial for the future of farming targeting the markets with uncertainness. Farmers are
communities. Since the farmers are sharing close boundaries unsure of sourcing funds such as from National Agriculture
raising livestock species like swine has its extended cultural Development Bank (NADB), commercial banks or other
problems related to production environment, intensities and micro-banks to facilitate the intended livestock farms.
purposes of production (Delgado. et al, 2007). Swine Establishing livestock farm is expensive with irregular
farming has its serious concerns drawing attention to its income earners relying heavily on cocoa as the main income
behaviour involved with damages to food crops in the generator. Low income has affected house hold livelihoods
gardens. Costales. et al, 2006 supports this by stating that with increasing living costs experienced elsewhere reducing
these systems are shaped by prevailing biophysical and the chances of potential livestock farmers to excel. To assist
socio-cultural environments, and without external inputs farmers excess funds based on livestock farming evaluations
they have traditionally been mostly in sustainable would help the farmers expand the production (Anton et al.,
equilibrium with such environments. This is a common 2016; IPC, www.AgriFin.org).
observed problem with high cultural threats exposed to
prevent farmers to expand livestock farms converted into IV. CONCLUSIONS
larger scales.
Adoption of livestock intensification farming systems
Limited land issue only creates a low-income option is poor as observed eight years ago during Muscovy duck
for farmers to participate in livestock production. The survey in 2012. Lack of knowledge and skills (53%) of a
farmers are scaled down to raise only less than five swine, livestock farmer has affected the growth on livestock
less than ten village chickens and a batch of broiler birds per improvement in farming systems. Livestock intensification
three months production cycle. They have marginalized requires a corporative effort from government agencies,
livestock production only to meet cultural obligations or economic facilitators and institutions to formulate the better
only to earn certain amount of income (Wilson, 2007) rather livestock training package for the rural farmers. Evaluations
than to optimize economic returns. The production practices with strategic approaches are relevant and should be
have increased production cycles and have lowered the

ISSN No:-2456-2165
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Volume 6, Issue 2, February – 2021 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

Case Study: Observation on Challenges to Adopt

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