Kingsley Ekwemalor, Ph.D.
Kingsley Ekwemalor, Ph.D., a teaching associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at N.C. A&T, wants small farmers to know they can produce more than fruits and vegetables.
“In North Carolina, with increases in population and changes in people’s preferences as they look for sources of protein other than beef - there’s a growing demand for small ruminants like goats and sheep,” he said. “Raising sheep and goats is also less labor-intensive and requires less investment.
“We are trying to encourage them to diversify and look at having multiple production systems on their farms.”
Ekwemalor is principal investigator on a grant from USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program that enables him to educate farmers about sustainable small ruminant production as a viable alternative to traditional crop, vegetable and fruit farming.
His effort is more than classroom teaching; it’s hands-on, practical, and rooted in the real needs of those he serves: “Giving farmers this information will enable them to be more sustainable in the long run,” he said.
The project is an outreach initiative spanning the entire state. With the help of co-PI Osei Yeboah, Ph.D., a professor of agribusiness and director of N.C. A&T’s L.C. Cooper Jr. International Trade Center, he brings together farmers from across North Carolina for workshops and informal roundtable discussions.
“We recruit beginning farmers, disadvantaged farmers, and minority farmers, but our workshops are open to anyone,” Ekwemalor explained. More than 15 farmers participated in workshops in the first year of the two-year program, and Ekwemalor plans to reach another 20 or more in year two.
Idael Perez Cardoso, of Reynelito Farm in Star, N.C., raises Katahid sheep with a focus on good breed genetics. Cardoso and his wife Lucy were 2024 Small Farmer of the Year finalists through N.C. Cooperative Extension.
The workshops teach farmers about both the business and production sides of raising small ruminants. Topics range from record-keeping and finding new market niches to practical skills for managing small ruminants. Ekwemalor focuses on production while Yeboah teaches sustainable business practices. They hope to give farmers essential knowledge to determine whether small livestock farming suits them.
“Smaller livestock like goats and sheep are cheaper because they eat less (than cattle), they produce less waste, which is better for the environment, and some of that waste could also be used to regenerate the soil,” Ekwemalor said. He also teaches farmers to find opportunity in what they have – for example, using residue as feed.
“Most farmers, all they think about is fruits and vegetables…whatever residue they have or whatever they have left, could be a good source of feed, especially to goats, because goats can eat anything.”
Transitioning to livestock can be daunting, but the program tries to lower the barriers to make that leap. For example, the two PIs and other team members help farmers identify and apply for USDA grants. The aim is to develop farm businesses that diversify and thrive, rather than operations that remain dependent on one crop or product.
To gauge impact, Ekwemalor conducts pre- and post-workshop surveys. Most farmers said the program provided new knowledge, and several who initially specialized in fruits and vegetables have now started or are planning to start raising livestock as a new revenue stream.
One participant noted, “I never thought about raising goats until I saw how manageable it could be.” Another remarked, “The record-keeping workshop opened my eyes to running the farm as a real business.” Another shared, “I’ve already started looking for new crops to add to my land—this is the push I needed.”
Looking ahead, Ekwemalor hopes to expand the program into neighboring states. Still, his greatest satisfaction comes from seeing small farmers implement new ideas.
“For me, the reward is when our farmers are able to implement these educational pieces that we have shared with them.”
