AUTHOR=Offoumon Oyeniran T. L. F. , Assani Alassan , Sanni Worogo Hilaire S. , Okambawa Tobi , Zorobouragui Loukaiya , Adambi Boukari Zhairath F. , Alabi Cham A. D. , Idrissou Yaya , Attakpa Eloi Y. , T. Alkoiret Ibrahim 
  
TITLE=Perceptions and attitudes of consumers and non-consumers towards goat milk and its derived products in northern Benin
  
JOURNAL=Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice
  
VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/pastoralism-research-policy-and-practice/articles/10.3389/past.2026.16705
  
DOI=10.3389/past.2026.16705
  
ISSN=2041-7136
  
ABSTRACT=Goat milk production is increasingly promoted in West Africa as a strategy to improve nutrition, diversify livestock production systems, and create income opportunities for smallholder farmers; however, consumer acceptance remains a major constraint to the development of the goat dairy sector. This study aimed to analyze perceptions, acceptability, and factors influencing the consumption of goat milk and its derived products (GMDPs) in northern Benin. A survey was conducted among 236 individuals in the cities of Parakou and Ndali. Respondents were categorized into three groups: consumers of goat milk and derived products (n = 81), knowledgeable non-consumers (n = 77), and non-knowledgeable individuals (n = 78). Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and analysis of variance to identify socio-demographic differences and determinants of consumption behavior. The results showed that consumers were significantly younger (30.04 ± 5.14 years) than knowledgeable non-consumers (36.09 ± 10.31 years) and non-knowledgeable individuals (39.28 ± 11.27 years) (p < 0.001). Gender and education level did not significantly influence consumption (p > 0.05), whereas religion and profession showed highly significant differences between groups (p < 0.001). The main motivations for consumption were curiosity (25.9%), social recommendation (24.7%), and perceived health benefits (24.7%). Among knowledgeable non-consumers, the main constraints were product unavailability, high price, lack of information, and uncertainty about product quality rather than negative perceptions of goat milk itself. Among non-knowledgeable individuals, many expressed willingness to try goat milk under certain conditions, including improved availability, lower prices, recommendations from relatives, and information on nutritional benefits. Approximately 66.67% indicated they would consume goat milk if locally produced. Among non-knowledgeable individuals, goat milk was the product most frequently selected for future trial (46.15%), ahead of cheese (28.21%) and yogurt (25.64%). Overall, the study indicates that the main barriers to goat milk consumption are related to market access, product availability, and information rather than sensory rejection. Improving awareness, processing, marketing strategies, and distribution networks could significantly enhance the adoption of goat milk and its derived products in northern Benin and support the development of the goat dairy value chain.