Small ruminants, in particular sheep and goats, have recently became a target of many aid and development efforts. However, the human factor in herding systems is, in many cases, taken for granted or overlooked. This dissertation provides some insight into the human perspective of goat herding within the environmental context of Piura, in north coastal Peru. The departure point of this work is that understanding the contemporary production process, the rationale of producers, and the factors actually limiting livestock production are as essential for the success of development as our understanding of the animals or the quality of forage resources. The five papers comprising this dissertation elucidate distinct aspects of the human factor in goat herding in Piura.
Small ruminants, in particular sheep and goats, have recently became a target of many aid and development efforts. However, the human factor in herding systems is, in many cases, taken for granted or overlooked. This dissertation provides some insight into the human perspective of goat herding within the environmental context of Piura, in north coastal Peru. The departure point of this work is that understanding the contemporary production process, the rationale of producers, and the factors actually limiting livestock production are as essential for the success of development as our understanding of the animals or the quality of forage resources. The five papers comprising this dissertation elucidate distinct aspects of the human factor in goat herding in Piura.