1. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF NEOTROPICAL FARMERS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: AGOUTI PRESENTED BY NKOSI FELIX AUTHORS: N. FELIX, M. SINGH, G. GARCIA AND G. SEEPERSAD

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION Introduction Background of Information needs Focus of study Methodology Results Conclusion Recommendation

3. INTRODUCTION In the aim to support the intensive rearing of neo tropical animals in Trinidad and Tobago. It becomes necessary for communication to exist among stakeholders. Information can lead to the reduction in transaction costs, which comprises of the cost encountered in the movement of commodities from farms to final consumers (Kizito 2009, 3). Lower cost also increases the competitiveness of commodities, and provides farmers with the potential to enter new markets

4. FOCUS OF STUDY Therefore given the increasing demand for Neotropical meat and the potential for farmed meat to meet this demand this study aims to identify the market information needs of these farmers.

5. BACKGROUND It has been shown that livestock farmers needed information: production related activities, breeding, feeding and management, disease, animal husbandry, input availability, animal housing

6. BACKGROUND The provision information has shown to assist farmers in making decisions The quality of information plays a pivotal role in increasing farmers knowledge on best practices across the value chain Quality management of livestock products, market price analysis, marketing and selling are critical to decision making. Information provides farmers with the ability to find markets and therefore increases the potential for sales which is critical for wildlife industry during the open season.

7. Assess needs to facilitate growth

8. METHODOLOGY 46 Agouti farmers were interviewed. Structured questionnaire. Respondents were asked to rank information from unimportant to very important. To provide their perception.

9. METHODOLOGY Types of information: List of Wildlife & Crop Farmers, List of Buyers & Retail outlets, Input Prices, Market Policies, Cost of Production, Animal Housing, Feeding, Nutrition & Diseases.

10. LIKERT SCALE Likert scale was applied to allow a weight or rating of how farmers viewed the respective types of information. 5 point scale Label (level of importance)Value used for analysis Unimportant0 Low importance1 Moderate importance2 Important3 Very Important4

11. MODEL- POINT SCORE ANALYSIS To assess the importance of the market information to farmers was ranked using: Point score = Ʃ (i*w i ) Where, i = value chosen for market information……………i = 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 w = Number of respondents that choose the respective ‘i’

12. STRENGTH OF THE MODEL Higher the value of the score the larger the number of respondents that choose higher values on the Likert scale. It allows a very important and important to be further broken down by respondent choice.

13. RESULTS- DEMOGRAPHICS 37% of the respondents had 1-5 Agoutis, while 17.4% owned 6-15 animals. Only 13% had 16-29 animals in stock. The majority of Wildlife farmers were 36 years and older.

14. RESULTS- IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION Information about Feeding & Nutrition received the highest rank : 197 Animal Housing information - 2 nd : 191 Information on diseases- 3 rd : 187 Cost of production information- 4 th : 171

15. RESULTS- IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION However, List of Crop farmers & retail outlets received the lowest point score. Indicates little interest among Agouti farmers to purchase prepared meat and vegetables for their animals.

16. RESULTS- INFORMATION TYPES

17. RECOMMENDATIONS Given the need for information concerning Agouti production. Focus can be placed of Agouti Nutrition, Housing, Disease awareness and identifying the cost of production initially. The study revealed that farmers were interested in the sale of the animal meat but the production system was their greatest concern. Study can be expanded to all wildlife farmers and annually reviewed to support growth of the sector.

18. THANK YOU Any Questions????????