Determining of Risk Sources and Risk Management Strategies in Dairy Farms: A Case of Çanakkale Province

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine farmers’ risk sources and risk management strategies in dairy cattle farms inÇanakkale Province. Data were obtained from 302 farms selected by stratified random sampling method from dairyfarms in Biga and Çan districts of Çanakkale province in Turkey between May 2017 and September 2017. Descriptivestatistics and factor analysis were used to analyze the data. The results of this study show that the most important risksource for farmers was lack of credit availability. This risk was followed by inadequacy of artificial insemination andincrease in debt amount. Parasite control was the most important risk management for farmers. This was followed byoff-farm work, off-farm investment and on-farm measures. As a solution to the lack of credit availability, it should beprovided to ease of repayment in credit use and to inceasing opportunities to loan use with low interest rate of farmers.In terms of parasite control in farms, it is important to the use of regularly parasitic drugs and determining of an effectiveparasite control program. As a result, it is expected to contribute to farmers and agricultural policy makers of the findingsof this research