Heifer International has provided female dairy farmers here with a Cooling Plant that stores rural-based bulk milk that will improve their farming techniques and raise incomes.
The women formed the Freaks Dairy Project in Mutasa South three years ago. They sell their milk to the cooling plant provided by Heifer International , which bulks and chills it, and then sells it to large urban processors. The increased volumes allow the chilling plant to negotiate higher prices than the individual farmers could earn.
Few market outlets
The Projects Manager of Heifer International, William Makurumidze, said the plant operated as a business hub. The NGO also offers farmers a wide variety of services, including access to finance, agricultural inputs and health information.
“For example, farmers can get advances on milk purchases to pay their children’s school fees. We want to empower female farmers to developed initiatives that give them sustainable development,” explained Makurumidze.
“Before we did this, the farmers had few market outlets for their milk, poor access to information on improved dairy production practices and limited access to business training. Many have since benefited from our assistance.”
Chioniso Nasio, 33, one the farmers said before hub was established she had been unable to earn a profit on her herd of indigenous cattle. Traditional breeds often produce as little as three litres per cow per day, and the high cost of feed prohibited me from viewing dairy as a viable livelihood,” she said.
People are busy
She has four cattle producing the milk. “But today, I am happy and managing to earn a decent living as I have been attending training and workshops given by Heifer International. The cooling plant has given life to many members of this community. There wasn’t any life at all, no business. But now people are really busy. It is a blessing,” said Nasio.
Dehydration
Makurumidze said the opening of the plant has created a host of new jobs in the area and caused an upsurge in the local economy.
Another farmer Chipo Maisiri, 37, said subsequent training sessions had opened her eyes and helped her see dairy farming as a business. “I developed a business plan and I was convinced that I can do it,” she said.
One of the greatest challenges she faced was keeping her cows healthy, especially during the dry season, when some of her neighbours lost their herds to dehydration.
Determined not to lose her investment, Maisiri began implementing new water conservation and feed preservation techniques. The NGO also allows Maisiri and other farmers to benefit from various services including establishing monthly credit accounts based on average daily milk volumes.
The monthly payments are then deducted from farmers’ total sales. This system ensures Maisiri access to supplies and cash advances that the family uses for school fees and medical costs.
The five female members of Freak’s Dairy Project have gained valuable business acumen that is paying off. They deliver 50 litres of milk a day to the cooling plant, assuring them of an income of$2,300 a month, as net profit, which they share equally among themselves.
This enables them to meet their household’s basic needs and invest in their farms, creating a cycle of sustainable development. The members now believe in the potential of dairy farming to transform lives.
Hellen Nyaungwa, 34, who has also benefited from the training, said she was encouraging her neighbours to participate in order to realise their dreams and turn their dairy farms into profitable businesses.
Heifer International empowers families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity. It links communities and helps bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty.
Post published in: News