Goat development in Laos and Vietnam: Opportunities and Challenges

Goat production in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) and Vietnam plays a critical role in household livelihoods and provides significant income for families. The growing demand for goat meat in Vietnam and Laos provides an opportunity for smallholder crop-livestock farmers in both countries to increase household income through improving goat production systems and marketing. In recent years, goat production in Vietnam and Laos has developed rapidly. In both countries, goat enterprises are regarded as strong opportunities for farmers in poor areas to access high-value markets. The sustainability of goat development in both countries faces significant challenges that need to be overcome. Potential risks include: a collapse of the export market to Vietnam and/or the premiums for Lao goat, low productivity and efficiency, disease, overexploitation of communal forage resources, and social costs. To ensure goat enterprises in Laos and Vietnam can be both profitable and sustainable, research is needed to understand the role of goats in smallholder farming systems, the goat production systems in the various regions, and the opportunity and risks associated with the high demand in Vietnam. There is a need to develop sustainable production systems that can meet this demand and position the sector for a long productive future.