Increasing Incomes for Small-Scale Dairies
Background
Given the levels of deprivation across many areas of Zimbabwe, ensuring that people can secure a sustainable living is crucial, both in the short-term to attain higher levels of income, and in the longer-term through reducing the dependency of rural communities on aid.
Aims and objectives
Africa Now's small-scale dairy project aims to support some of the most vulnerable people, mostly women and children, helping them to achieve sustainable incomes through maximising their revenue in dairy production.
Conscious that poverty is often reinforced by, and can itself reinforce other social problems, Africa Now also seeks to address the impact of HIV/AIDS, by taking advantage of collective gatherings for awareness-raising.
Projects such as this are particularly valuable for poor people at times of economic and social crisis, raising incomes while developing the skills and production capacity of the most vulnerable. The underlying aim of the project is that when the current situation in Zimbabwe improves, Africa Now's initiatives will have laid solid foundations for improvements to the livelihoods of a great number of people.
Activities
- Increasing the quantity and quality of fodder produced by smallholder dairy farmers.
- Improving the breeds of smallholder dairy animals and reducing cattle mortality.
- Empowering community groups and local cooperatives to better represent farmers, influencing policy to increase opportunities in dairy farming and contributing to profitability.
- Minimising the impact of HIV/AIDS on community livelihoods through raising awareness and through improved nutrition.
- Training and motivating more youth in the dairy industry, in order to create jobs and reduce poverty.
Impacts
- Through the introduction of new fodder varieties and other methods, milk production is increasing, meaning both higher incomes for farmers and higher dairy consumption for people generally.
- Both the higher income and higher diary consumption is proving crucial given the current economic situation in Zimbabwe, and especially important for children, the elderly and those affected by HIV/AIDS.
- With 60% of dairies now owning computers and 46% using e-mail, they are increasingly able to produce computerised accounts, enabling faster production of statements, easier coordination of audits and increased accountability, cooperative governance, and transparency.
- With the capacity of Africa Now's partner - the Dairy Development Programme - improved, farmers can have a united voice on national policy issues.
- New dairy products introduced on the market that yield a higher profit margin are translating into higher incomes for dairy farmers.
