Assessment of Meat Goat Shared Farming by GFM and GAP Standard under the Sustainable Self-Reliance Concept of Farmers in Tamot District, Phatthalung Province

Abstract

This study aimed to assess meat goat shared farming according to GFM and GAP standards regarding self-reliance and sustainability. The study was conducted from March 2021 to February 2022 and the target group was 120 rubber-tapping workers who participated in the goat farming group in the Tamot District, Phatthalung Province. The group were engaged in knowledge transfer and practiced raising meat goats according to GFM and GAP standards. Data were collected by knowledge assessment, farming assessment, group meeting, and interview. Finally, the data was analyzed to assess knowledge and self-reliance capital on sustainability. The study found that the goat farmers could apply the knowledge to their farming practice the most, which was 93.06%, followed by group members 91.67%, and group committees 77.22%. However, the main issues of the self-reliance capital were human capital, such as group management skills, goat health management skills, and skills for participation in expressing opinions; financial capital, such as access to capital and goat markets; and physical capital, such as limited farm space. Financially, the group needed more funding for farm development; they also needed easy access to farm veterinarians; and on the environmental side. The lack of crude feedproduction sources was also one of the goat farming problems.