Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study investigates the factors influencing sheep and goat farmers' willingness to continue farming activities in Turkey, focusing on the drivers behind their decisions and the challenges they face.Data were collected through face-to-face surveys with 612 producers (328 sheep farmers and 284 goat farmers) across six major small ruminant-producing provinces in Turkey.The analysis reveals that 242 respondents (39.54%) expressed satisfaction with the prevailing production conditions, whereas 370 respondents (60.46%) reported an inclination to discontinue their farming enterprises.Key factors contributing to farmers' reluctance include exorbitant feed prices, inadequate subsidy mechanisms, restricted access to and poor quality of natural grasslands, escalating input costs, and a scarcity of skilled shepherd labor.These findings highlight critical areas requiring policy intervention to sustain small ruminant production in Turkey.Addressing economic and environmental challenges, alongside improving subsidy programs and grassland management, will be vital to enhancing farmers' willingness to continue these essential agricultural activities.This study offers actionable insights for policymakers to support small ruminant farmers and ensure the resilience of this sector in Turkey Keywords-Farmers' willingness, small ruminant production, sustainability, Turkey. I. INTRODUCTIONTurkey plays a pivotal role in the global sheep and goat industry, ranking 8th worldwide in sheep population and 23rd in goat population [1].The country accounts for 2.8% of the global sheep population and 1% of the global goat population [3].Within the European Union context, Turkey emerges as a dominant leader, contributing 26% of the EU's total sheep population and an impressive 48% of its goat population among all 28 member states [2].Regionally, the South-eastern Anatolia Region holds the largest sheep population, whereas the Mediterranean Region leads in goat population density.Small ruminant production, particularly of sheep and goats, is integral to Turkey's agricultural sector, underpinning food security, rural employment, and cultural heritage.These animals provide essential products such as meat, milk, wool, and hides while also serving significant cultural and traditional functions, making them indispensable to rural livelihoods.Despite their critical importance, Turkey's small ruminant sector has faced notable challenges over the past decade, leading to a decline in profitability and sustainability.
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4410285502