Youngster tries his hand at goat farming

Despite the threat of praedial thieves, residents in several rural areas have dedicated themselves to goat rearing, including Andre Cameron of Crawl district, St Catherine.

Cameron, who is a past student of Hydel High School, said that he decided on farming, having found out that the earning potential is great.

"Goat meat is between $800 and $1,000 per pound, so you can make a profit despite the challenges which come with farming," Cameron said.

"These goats are what we (he and his father) started to raise about four months ago, as we have the space and it is near home," he added.

Prior to goat farming, Cameron used to work on a water truck; however, that stopped due to the death of a team member. He and his father bought their first goats from farmers within the area. They currently have 25 goats and are conducting the business on their own, without any technical support from the Rural Agriculture Development Authority or other such organisation. Cameron said that his major challenge so far is that he has to watch out for thieves.

"Right now, we have to be working on shift to keep the investment safe, especially at nights," Cameron said. "We sleep and watch, as it is hard work, so we cannot make it easy fi di tief dem."

The 22-year-old said that he feeds the goats from rations, which he purchases from the farm store, as well as grass and water. The work with the animals starts as early as 5 a.m. seven days a week. In addition to feeding the animals, they also have to ensure they are properly nurtured.

"We have to be alert about how we treat the mother and kids, so you have to separate them from the rams," Cameron said. They also raise cows and pigs; however, the emphasis is on goat farming, with plans for gradual expansion.

He said that he would encourage anyone, especially the youth, to participate in farming.