Goat farming combined with tourism, extending the value chain

NINH BINH From the goat breeding model, Mr. Trinh Van Dam's family not only increases income but also develops experiential tourism, bringing in two sources of income.

Goats go out to find food and return to their pens by themselves.

Late afternoon in Trung Son ward ( Ninh Binh province), Ms. Nguyen Thi Diu, Deputy Director of the Center for Agricultural Extension and Trade Promotion of Ninh Binh province, led us along the only road, crossing the limestone mountains. The car stopped at the end of the valley - where limestone mountains surrounded on all sides, in the middle was a large lawn and a calm lake reflecting the afternoon sky. In the middle of that peaceful scene was Mr. Dam's goat farm, a household chosen by the Center as a model.

Mr. Trinh Van Dam's goat farming model combined with experiential tourism area: Photo: Ha Trang.

The first sound we heard was the call of the goats calling each other home from the mountainside. In the middle of that space, Mr. Dam was adding more salt stones into the pen. He said jokingly: “In the morning, we let them go up the mountain, and in the afternoon, they come back to the pen to lick the salt. That way, we don’t have to herd them, and each goat is healthy, has shiny fur, and firm meat.”

Mr. Dam raises goats using the traditional grazing method. In the morning, the goats go up the mountain to find food and return to the barn at night to rest. Their main food is forest leaves, duong leaves, wild grass, wood pine and many herbs such as eclipta prostrata and bach bo. Thanks to that, the goats are provided with a natural source of nutrition to help balance their bodies, aid digestion and limit inflammation. Goats love salt, so they will definitely return to the barn. Every day, the goats find food on the mountain and return to the barn by themselves.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Diu said that this is the herd management method that the Center guides in the model of goat breeding associated with ecotourism. A small change but helps farmers save labor, reduce disease risks, and significantly increase efficiency.

Mr. Trinh Van Dam shares the process of raising goats at the farm. Photo: Ha Trang.

Previously, Mr. Dam raised goats on a small scale, roaming freely on the mountains. The goats were easily lost, many were sickly, and had low productivity. In 2023, when the Ninh Binh Provincial Center for Agricultural Extension and Trade Promotion implemented the project "Raising goats for reproduction associated with ecotourism development", he was chosen to implement the pilot model.

His family was supported with breeds, supplies, vaccines and training in breeding techniques, care and disease prevention. Mr. Dam said: "Now every 6 months, the Center provides vaccines and instructions for regular injections. Thanks to that, the goat herd has developed steadily and healthily, with a post-birth survival rate of over 90%."

The farm currently maintains nearly 200 goats, bringing in hundreds of millions of dong in revenue each year. Not only has the technique changed, but the mindset of the breeders is also different from before - proactively managing the herd, monitoring health, recording reproduction and rotating breeds to avoid inbreeding.

According to Ms. Diu, the project's goal is to help farmers switch from natural farming to commercial farming, forming concentrated farming areas: "Previously, people here raised animals according to habit, with low efficiency. When receiving technical support, they know how to choose breeds, prevent diseases and calculate the market. Mr. Dam's model shows that productivity and income increased by more than 20% compared to traditional farming methods."

Farm becomes attractive tourist destination

Not only stopping at raising animals, Mr. Dam takes advantage of the Quen Tho landscape to develop experiential tourism. On a land of more than 20 hectares, he built an experience area, cuisine and check-in point in the middle of the grassy hill - where visitors can feed goats, see how to take care of them and enjoy specialties prepared right on the spot.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Diu (middle) - Deputy Director of the Center for Agricultural Extension and Trade Promotion of Ninh Binh province visited Mr. Dam's goat farming model. Photo: Ha Trang.

Since opening to visitors, the number of tourists to this area has increased by about 30%, most of whom are families and students who want to experience the real thing. Each visitor brings in more income for his family.

According to Ms. Diu, linking livestock farming with tourism is a step in line with the trend of developing ecological agriculture in Ninh Binh province: “We not only provide technical support but also guide people to look further - from production to consumption, from farm to table. When tourists can enjoy local products, the value of agricultural products is significantly increased.”

As the goats slowly returned to the barn, Mr. Dam said: “Now we raise goats not only to sell meat but also to serve tourists. Every day when tourists come, we can sell products and promote the local livestock industry.”

From a small-scale livestock farmer, Mr. Dam has become a model for transforming production thinking. The goat farming model combined with tourism not only brings in two sources of income but also opens up a new way of farming - considering service value as an extension of agricultural production.

In Quen Tho today, the sound of goats calling to each other echoes through the valley as a reminder of a new way of farming - where farmers know how to take advantage of their strengths to turn livestock farming into a sustainable livelihood.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nuoi-de-ket-hop-lam-du-lich-noi-dai-chuoi-gia-tri-d783461.html