Abstract :
The multi-dimensional nature of ‘sustainability’ including survival, resilience and efficiency
is described as are the environmental, economic and social factors that underpin sustainability.
Some of the current global trends and forces of change that impinge on goat
production in the 21st century are also considered. The characteristics of some of the main
goat systems and the people who keep them are described and the impact of some global
trends (climate change, rising prices of food and fuel, environmental degradation, genetic
erosion, dietary and lifestyle changes, social inequality and global insecurity) on the sustainability
of goat production are considered. A ‘sustainability scorecard’ is developed as a tool
to assess the ability of goat production systems to survive current trends and future shocks.
Some case studies are presented from Africa, Afghanistan and the UK, including the pastoral
systems of East Africa, emerging smallholder dairy systems in Africa, cashmere goat production
in Afghanistan and a highly intensive niche dairy enterprise in the UK. The sustainability
scorecard is applied to assess each system. Finally, conclusions are drawn about how to
make goat systems more sustainable and resilient to the challenges they currently face and
how goat keepers need to constantly adapt to changing circumstances in order to survive
