UNRE Integrated Agriculture Training Program: Cocoa and Goat integration

The importance of goat as a source of nutrition for cocoa and farmer was never realized until recently when cocoa and goat integration concept was introduced under two ACIAR funded projects, HORT/2014/094 and HORT2014/096 in 2016. 

The IFS concept is aimed at enhancing nutrition for a farmer, cocoa and goat (or other livestock or fish) and diversity income. This module developed by Papua New Guinea University of Natural Resources and Environment emphasizes the need for improvement in the health and wealth condition of a smallholder cocoa farmer through the introduction of livestock into existing cocoa farming system. 

IFS emphasises that “waste” from one component of cocoa farming system becomes an input for another component within the system, which reduces cost and improves production and/or income. IFS ensures that waste of one form of agriculture becomes a resource for another. For example, goat waste is essential for cocoa and vegetable crops whilst wastes from cocoa and vegetable harvests are used to feed goats. 

The concept does not only utilize wastes and promotes organic farming but also improves soil conservation, addresses nutrition and promotes organic farming. 

The aim of this module is to provide relevant information necessary for cocoa farmers to add value and maximize the use of their land through integration of livestock (goat) into existing cocoa farming system¹. 

1. PNG University of Natural Resource & Environment 2022, Integrated Agriculture Training Program: Cocoa and Goat Integration pg 5