Goat Power: Heifer CEO Tweets Live from the Field

By Maegan Clark

October 3, 2019

Last Updated: March 2, 2011

Heifer CEO Pierre Ferrari in Padampur, Nepal with a family that belongs to the Heifer project cooperative and are beneficiaries of a goat project there. Photo by Geoff Oliver Bugbee.
Our new CEO, Pierre Ferrari, recently visited Heifer projects in Nepal to see the progress that families have made through implementing Heifer's 12 cornerstones of development.
Throughout his travels, Pierre tweeted  about the ways goats can greatly improve the lives of  Heifer project participants. We thought you might enjoy this list of his tweets:

@HeiferCEO's 18 Ways Goats Change Lives

Nepal: Goat power: placing this amazing small ruminant in well prepared farming families can produce startling results. Know why?
1-Goat programs set a rapid and meaningful stage for the deepening of community bonds through Passing on the Gift. Marvelous
2-Eliminating imports will improve animal health, improve humane treatment of animals
3-Nepal imports close to a million goats a year! Major import substitution oppty for farmers
4-Goat marketing /selling much simpler and quicker than vegetable selling.
5-Goats on the hoof are non-perishable unlike fruits and vegetable reducing marketing risks
6-Breeds have been optimized over years limiting losses and improved conversion rate of fodder to weight
7-Goats r savings available for immediate cash in an emergency
8-Goat farming can be managed collectively improving efficiency
9-Goat waste useful as fertilizer and soil improver
10-Rupee return per hr work is much higher than veggie farming
11-Animal based foods excellent nutrition very compete and bio available
12-Water usage is moderate
13-Oppressed groups, displaced ethnic groups find quick lifts and pride
14-Taking care of goats is a gateway to establishing gender equity in couples
15-Cultural acceptability of goat raising
16-Fodder can be grown in marginal pieces of land not displacing food for humans
17-They thrive in pens which is ideal for very small holder farmers
18-They multiply up to 6 kids a year!

If you're on Twitter, follow @HeiferCEO or @Heifer.