Socio-economic Characteristics of Subsistent Small Ruminant Farmers in Three Regions of Northern Ghana

The study seeks to characterise socio-economic and farm characteristics of small ruminant farmers in three regions of northern Ghana. Two hundred and forty-nine (249) respondents were selected using multistage sampling procedure. Analytical tools included descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Majority of respondents were males (71.5%), household-heads (65.9%), married (73.5%), Muslims (62.1%) and uneducated (63.9%). Access to extension (29.8%) and credit (14.9%) services was low. Farmers’ average age (47.29±16.00 years) and sheep holdings (12.14±9.60) were similar across the regions, but family size (11.56±7.83), goat holdings (11.89±9.32), and purpose of rearing small ruminants differ significantly. Adult children and female spouses contribute meaningfully to small ruminant management practices. Thus, socio-economic and farm characteristics offer significant input in designing effective livestock programs.