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Dairy Development in Sub-Saharan Africa Tool Box for advisers and planners |
Agriculture including the dairy sector plays an important role in the economies of many countries in Sub-saharan Africa, and millions of people depend on agriculture, directly or indirectly for their livelihood. The dairy sector, encompassing both milk production and processing and marketing creates employment in the processing and marketing sectors and forms the basis for the livelihood of a huge number of smallholders.
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The dairy sector |
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I: Milk producers/production systems
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Zero grazing / mixed farming
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Communal grazing/mixed farming
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Pastoralists
II Milk processing and marketing systems
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In-formal marketing
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Village/ small scale processing
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Formal market
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Large scale processing industry
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Dairy development can become a positive vehicle for poverty reduction, if the focus is on smallholder dairy development and on small scale rural processing. If dairy development is to contribute to poverty reduction it should result in:
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Increased food consumption or reduced share of household income spent on food by the poor through higher income and easier excess of stable food.
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Increased income of smallholders and traders
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A vehicle for organisation within the rural community enhancing their role/power/ ability to participate and influence the development process of change
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Increased demand for the labour services of the poor.
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Sustainable improvements to the livelihoods of the poor, that is the capabilities of the poor, assets and activities required for a means of living.
(Adapted from: Ashley et all, Livestock in poverty-focused development, 1999)
Development of large scale dairy farmers increases the formal milk production, the modern technology used by these farmers only requires a minimum of labour and the milk produced and packed is only to a lesser extent consumed by the poor. Large scale dairy farmers, however, might be a vehicle for service provision and market access for smallholders.
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Examples of statements substantiating why the dairy production in Kenya is important
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“The dairy enterprise is demonstrated to provide above-normal profits, meaning that returns are higher than those available through rural wage labour.” … “The understanding that farmers also capture additional but unmeasured benefits from the use of manure, and from the insurance and finance values of livestock assets, further strengthens their returns and competitiveness.” (Cost of Milk production in Kenya, SPD research and development report 1)
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There are three channels for distribution of raw milk to consumers; direct sales by producers; rural to urban sales through informal traders; and rural to urban sales through farmer’s collective groups.” (IFPRI, EPT discussion paper 131, Margaret Ngigi)
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List of general tools
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