Abstract
We aimed to describe the management and productivity of this group of smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya at the beginning of an intervention program and to document relevant observed changes in the 3rd year of the intervention. A 3-year intervention program, focused on management of animal health and nutrition, and milk quality, was implemented by one Kenyan and two Canadian non-governmental organizations (one university based) to help improve the milk production and livelihoods of Kenyan smallholder dairy farmers (primarily women). Thirty farmers were enrolled and completed questionnaires at the start and end of the project. Focus groups were also conducted to obtain qualitative information on livelihood effects from the program. In 2004, 70% of the eligible youngstock (more than 15 months of age) were pregnant, and cows had a long average days-in-milk of 240 days. External parasites, poor hygiene, and long claws were not uncommon among cows, and 37% and 20% of the farms reported clinical intestinal parasitism and diarrhea in youngstock. In 2006, there were significant improvements in the proportion of farms planting high-protein forages, farms using better milking procedures, and on-farm milk storage methods. The reported mastitis incidence rate fell from 0.55 to 0.20 cases/cow-year (p < 0.01), and the average number of cows and youngstock significantly increased from 1.5 and 0.9 to 2.9 and 2.6, respectively. There were reported improvements in the livelihoods among the member families. The partnership-based intervention program significantly improved management and productivity of this group of smallholder dairy farmers in rural Kenya, leading to reported livelihood benefits.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully appreciate the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency, private donors in Atlantic Canada, and the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island. The authors also acknowledge the in-kind support of volunteer members of Farmers Helping Farmers and the staff of the Wakulima Self-Help Group Dairy for their efforts on the intervention program and data collection, the participating farmers for their cooperation in the program and research project, and Canadian and Kenyan pharmaceutical companies for the donated medicine during the program. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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VanLeeuwen, J.A., Mellish, T., Walton, C. et al. Management, productivity and livelihood effects on Kenyan smallholder dairy farms from interventions addressing animal health and nutrition and milk quality. Trop Anim Health Prod 44, 231–238 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-0003-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-0003-2