Wiki: Help us find examples of Revolving Livestock Fund projects/programs

Tue, 2008/04/01 - 01:09 —

EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR PROJECTS

Farm Africa - The Uganda Dairy Goat and Animal Healthcare Project

http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/programme.cfm?programmeID=7&context=region&...
“It has two components: improved animal breeding linked to a decentralized animal health system. Poor farmers are encouraged to form self-help groups and receive training in goat husbandry. Some will be trained as Community-based Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) or 'bare-foot vets' to provide basic animal health services to the local communities. CAHWs are supervised by local private sector Animal Health Assistants (AHAs), in turn are supervised by Veterinarians to ensure that high quality animal health services are maintained.”

Matiti Goat Milk Project

http://www.whm.org/project?ID=12371
“This project employs 2 Ugandan agricultural extension workers. They educate the communities in the value of goat milk in boosting the primarily starchy diet of children. They train dairy goat keepers and provide veterinary assistance. The project also provides dairy goats to HIV infected mothers (to allow rapid weaning after 6 months to prevent the passing on of the virus) and motherless infants (many mothers die in childbirth or of disease). While goats are a part of everyday life in Uganda, the local goats produce only as much milk as their kids need and then dry up. Those bred for their abundant milk supply are a new addition to the district. Goat recipients return the first born female to the program to be distributed to other needy families. It is our hope that the knowledge offered and the offspring of these goats will be a blessing to children for generations to come.”

"HEART OF AFRICA"
Burundi Goat Rehabilitation Project

http://burundigoats.tripod.com/Tropical_Emphasis/Dairy___Cheese/dairy___...
“The 'Heart of Africa Goat Rehabilitation Project' in Burundi is working to strengthen smallholder goat producer associations and is helping to develop sustainable, market-based goat enterprises based on meat, dairy and other animal byproducts. Key activities include crossbreeding and herd improvement and restocking with Boer meat goats and Alpine dairy goats, which are crossbred to local Central African Goats through the third generation.
The project also includes training of goat farmers and animal technicians, as well as assessments of different aspects of the goat sector. In the future, the project plans to work with peri-urban cattle owners to help develop artisan cheese enterprises and improved milk handling and distribution.”

"Heifer"

http://www.heifer.org.za/index.php?section=cornerstone

Northern Cebu, Philippines (Salvador Cariaga)
How a Boer Goat is Changing a Community

Standard Boer goats are native to Africa. These goats can grow up to 280 pounds or more, and cost $600 (in Cebu) for a registered weanling. They usually have stocky white bodies and red heads. Although most Filipinos are familiar with goats, many have never seen a Boer goat. So when we decided to use goat raising as our flagship livelihood program, the people in the hills of Arapal (northern Cebu) shrugged it off. We were not the first livelihood project, or even the first goat raising program, they had encountered. The government had tried such offers in the past, and failed.

Determined to give it a go, the first thing I did was scout for all the homes that raise goats. There were quite a few. As many as one in five families have a goat or two, though mostly of the small, 20-40 pound native variety. They also do not milk their goats. I have traveled extensively around the island, and have yet to meet a family who milk their goats. So we conducted seminars on goat raising and milk production. We also lectured on organic alternatives and farming techniques, such as Vermi-Culture, Contour, and SALT Technology. We partnered with the government and feed companies on some of the seminars. As a matter of course, we also shared the Bible with these families, and invited them to church.

When it was time to disperse our small native goats, we had a few takers. We loaned most of our goats to children who were excited at the thought of having their own personal pet, and the parents and children signed a contract agreeing that the goat is actually loaned to the child. We then convinced a friend to donate money to buy an expensive Boer buck, and has been our most productive investment, both literally and figuratively.

In less than a year, the Boer has sired over 100 kids, and has changed the landscape of this community. Instead of the small native ruminants normally seen along Philippine roads, Boer hybrids are now popping up in this small village. People are lining up to borrow and raise a pregnant native goat mated by our buck. Early this week, a little old lady dragged her female goat (in heat) to the camp, insisting that the Boer sire her doe‘s offspring. Recently, 40 people attended a seminar to qualify for this goat-loaning program. They all want to have Boer kids. More are expected to join the next seminar.

The goats we disperse to poor children and farmers are usually pregnant when given. We divide their offspring, take our share, and pass these new additions on to others. We recently received another donation, with which we were able to purchase a new Boer buck. Deemed “Bubba” by his donors, Bubba the goat will sire the first Boer’s female offspring, and improve (upgrade) their breed line even more. Another sign of progress: our partnering farmers are now starting to milk their goats, and pretty soon will supply us with milk to market for them. We are also encouraging them to make good use of the goat manure for their gardens.

In the long run, we expect to see this community thrive economically, be healthy physically, and grow spiritually. With the food and fuel crisis looming on everyone’s mind, our goat program offers hope for a better future. We calculate that if the children to whom we loan goats will take good care of half a dozen goats, it can pay for their education from grade school to college.

Thanks to the first Boer goat, the community visually witnesses the results, and are now buying into our mission and vision.

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