Smallholder dairy development in Asia and the Pacific

Agricultural Systems, 2007

Three smallholder dairy production systems in Zambia, Sri Lanka and Kenya are analysed and compared. The focus is on the relationships between the animal production system, the farm household system, and the institutional environment. Attention is given to the valuation of marketed and non-marketed products and the intangible benefits of livestock in insurance, financing and status display. The comprehensive and comparative analysis of the production systems shows the direct relationship between type and intensity of dairy production and the presence or absence of markets for milk and other products, services and employment. The generally unobserved income components resulting from products other than milk and from the intangible benefits prove to be a substantial proportion of the total income in all three systems. The comprehensive perspective on the dairy production system results in policy suggestions that include institutional linkages.

animal, 2013

Smallholder dairy production represents a promising income generating activity for poor farmers in the developing world. Because of the perishable nature of milk, marketing arrangements for collection, distribution and sale are important for enhanced livelihoods in the smallholder dairy sector. In this study we examined the relationship between market quality and basic feeding and breeding practices at farm level. We define market quality as the attractiveness and reliability of procurement channels and associated input supply arrangements. We took as our study countries, India with its well-developed smallholder dairy sector, and Ethiopia where the smallholder dairy industry has remained relatively undeveloped despite decades of development effort. We conducted village surveys among producer groups in 90 villages across three States in India and two Regions in Ethiopia. Producer groups were stratified according to three levels of market qualityhigh, medium and low. Data showed that diet composition was relatively similar in India and Ethiopia with crop residues forming the major share of the diet. Concentrate feeding tended to be more prominent in high market quality sites. Herd composition changed with market quality with more dairy (exotic) cross-bred animals in high market quality sites in both India and Ethiopia. Cross-bred animals were generally more prominent in India than Ethiopia. Herd performance within breed did not change a great deal along the market quality gradient. Parameters such as calving interval and milk yield were relatively insensitive to market quality. Insemination of cross-bred cows was predominantly by artificial insemination (AI) in India and accounted for around half of cross-bred cow inseminations in Ethiopia. Data on perceptions of change over the last decade indicated that per herd and per cow productivity are both increasing in high market quality sites with a more mixed picture in medium and low-quality sites. Similarly dairy-derived income is on the increase in high market quality sites. This is accompanied by a strong increase in stall feeding at the expense of grazing. The study indicates that the first constraint to intensification of dairy production in Ethiopia is the genetic quality of the herd. There is less scope for improved AI provision in India since the cross-bred herd is mainly serviced by AI already. However, as for Ethiopia, there is considerable scope for closing yield gaps in India through improved feed use and supply. Results strongly show that well-developed markets with good procurement arrangements are key for sustainable dairy intensification.

Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 2020

Dairy is currently the top-ranking commodity in India. Millions of small scale and marginal farmers who own 2-5 animals produce an average of 5 l of milk. Rural small scale milk producers contribute 62% of the total milk produced in the country. The National Dairy Development Board estimates that the demand for milk is likely to reach 180 million tonnes by 2022. This rapidly evolving scene is a response to a series of drivers, including population growth and urbanization, both contribute to increased demand for livestock products. There is a need for increasing milk supplies as demand is raising. In the absence of sufficient required production, India will need to rely on the world market for imports. The socio and economic conditions of small scale farmers are very poor. Vulnerability in the lives and livelihoods of small farmers is increasing day by day. In India, there is no safety net for these small farmers. Small dairy households are facing numerous challenges, which include low prices of milk, shortage of quality feed and fodder, low genetic potential of dairy animals resulting in low productivity levels, nonavailability of institutional finance, poor animal health-care facilities, poor extension services, and poor rural infrastructure. In addition, the constraints include seasonal availability and costs of feeds, poor milk marketing and low milk price, availability of land, problems of waste disposal and pollution, disease, and shortage of capital. Thus, focusing on areas for local dairy development is critical. Small dairy farming is at risk, so there is a requirement to investigate problems faced by small-scale cattle owners around urban areas and opportunities which can make their livelihood better. This article can help to find realistic and possible solutions for small dairy farmers. Recent studies have confirmed that the increasing deregulation of India's dairy sector poses a threat to small farmers. A study of root cause analysis for farm business was done to ascertain the factors that might impede the scaling up of the business. This paper tried to know "Is small scale dairy farming dying out?" and what are the challenges faced by small dairy farming families? Background: Animal husbandry plays an important role in the Indian economy. Small scale milk producers contribute 62% of the total milk produced in the country. However, the lives and livelihoods of small dairy farmers are becoming vulnerable in India. Objectives: This article tried tried to explore the reasons of decrease in small scale dairy farms. Apart from that this article is also find out what were the challenges faced by small dairy farming families and its influence on animal health. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was carried out in the peri-urban area of Hodal, Haryana. Purposive and snowball sampling were employed. Twenty-six in-depth interviews were conducted with current small scale dairy farmers, ex small scale dairy farmers, households, and other stakeholders. Results are presented in the form of core and sub-themes evolved during this process. Results: This study revealed that a small scale dairy farmer is present in peri-urban area, but there is a decrease in small scale dairy farming. The major reason is shrinking fringes, access to cattle provender, the tepid interest of future generation, increased cost of cattle, and cattle health. Conclusion: The study recommends that support (in the form of subsidy) should be provided to small scale dairy farmers for accessing land and provender. Awareness about the importance and scope of small scale dairy farming as a stable career opportunity should be spread among the young generation.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the economy of sub-Saharan Africa. A feature of particular significance about the region is that the majority of households are heavily dependent on agriculture as their major source of livelihood. Smallholder agriculture is the principal producer of staple foods and cash crops, accounting for very large shares of national production and marketed output. For the respective countries, therefore, the performance of smallholder agriculture has crucial implications for the overall economic development process including the alleviation of rural poverty. The demands created by steadily increasing populations, and the pressing need to increase agricultural productivity means that these countries must continuously adopt methods to intensify agricultural production.

2008

www.ifpri.org NOTICE: IFPRI Division Discussion Papers contain preliminary material and research results, and are circulated prior to a full peer review in order to stimulate discussion and critical comment. It is expected that most Discussion Papers will eventually be published in some other form, and that their content may also be revised.

Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2012

Milk production in Malawi is still unsatisfactory despite efforts by different stakeholders to boost the dairy sector. To investigate the roots of the problem, a survey on the current production practices and constraints on smallholder dairy farming was conducted in the Northern Region of the country. A total of 210 farmers were interviewed. The results revealed that farmers had small herd sizes in the region with an average of 2.2 ± 0.6 cattle per farmer. Average herd size was larger in male-managed farms than in female-managed farms (2.6 ± 2.8 vs. 1.8 ± 1.3), farmers with more than 5 years of dairy farming experience had larger herds than those with less experience (2.6 ± 2.8 vs. 1.9 ± 1. 2) and farmers who grazed their animals tended to have larger herds than those that stall-fed their animals (4.4 ± 5.1 vs. 1.9 ± 1.3). Average milk production was 8.2 ± 6.5 l per cow per day. Higher average daily milk production was observed in farmers with above primary school education (10.3 ± 8.3 vs. 7.7 ± 5.6), those with dairy farming as main activity (9.3 ± 6.6 vs. 6. 5 ± 6.1) and farmers with more than 2 years of experience in dairy farming (9.3 ± 6.3 vs. 6.1 ± 6.4). Unreliable supply of improved animal genetics, poor animal health, feed shortage and poor prices for milk were considered to be the most important constraints to smallholder dairy farming in descending order.

2016

A simple method of formulating least-cost diets for

Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2011