Socio-Economic Constraints on Goat Farming In the Lowveld of Swaziland – A Case Study of Matsanjeni

This study was designed to focus on why subsistence livestock farmers concentrate mainly on cattle rearing instead of diversifying the livestock sector to incorporate small ruminants particularly goats which can sustain under a diverse climatic conditions.  Areas of interest in this study were socioeconomic and cultural factors namely; social status, ownership, dignity, prestige, taste, lack of information on sustainable goat farming, customary activities, income and market that influence farmers’ preference of cattle over goats.  A survey study was carried out to about 124 subsistence livestock farmers, where 58 owned cattle only, 34 owning goats only and 32 had both goats and cattle.  Data was collected from all the farmers through personal interviews guided by a questionnaire.  The findings revealed that the lack of formal market opportunities for selling goats was one of the major hindrances against goat farming.  Also, high socio-economic and cultural status accorded to cattle by livestock farmers makes the livestock industry to be continuously monopolized by beef production