Abstract :
The paper presents an analysis and conclusions of the 9th International Conference on Goats
in Mexico. It highlights a very successful conference, the types and extent of subject matter
areas that were addressed and their trends. Continuing emphasis on research along disciplinary
lines is apparent, in comparison to the more applied links with development issues.
It is suggested that future international conferences on goats should give more attention to
development aspects concerned with increasing productivity. Emerging issues in the future
and looming concerns were identified which emphasise the need for collective efforts to
promote the potential future contribution of goats. Policy elements are also important and
include: (i) policy through advocacy (i.e., education and empowerment); (ii) gender; investment
in research and development (R&D); (iii) direct government action; and (iv) through
law (i.e., microcredits and NGO participation). The overriding challenge is to define policies
that can improve the livelihoods of small farmers and the landless who own goats, foster
greater institutional involvement and investments in target agro-ecosystems, promote
increased adaptive research and development involving productivity, enhancing technology
application, and vigorous scale up production and post-production systems, linkages
and market access. The resolution of these constitutes the challenges for the immediate
future.
