Factors affecting enduring participation in a pig farming program in Southern Papua, Indonesia

In mid-2016, the local government of Papua, Indonesia, launched a subsidised program to improve pig farming in the area, with 250 participants. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with enduring participation in pig farming among the program participants. Two years after the commencement of the program, one hundred of the 250 participants were recruited into the study and divided into two groups: participants who continued to engage in pig farming (“remain”) and those who had quit pig farming (“quit”). Data were collected from interviews, including personal data and events on the farms between April 2017 and March 2018. Multiple correspondence analysis, followed by a two-step cluster analysis and multivariate regression, was used to explore factors associated with the durability of pig farmings. Results indicated that associated factors included feed and water security, the use of concrete material for the pig house floor, the avoidance of swill feeding, reduced pig mortality, and continued pig husbandry training. This study highlights that a good feeding regimen and effective control of pig diseases should be priority pig husbandry techniques to be extended through training and assistance to improve traditional pig farming in Papua.