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Summary
Smallholder dairy production in Zambia
The smallholder sector offers the greatest
potential for the improvement of milk
production in Zambia as it holds the largest
number of cattle. Although this Is so, the sector
has not performed as well as it should have for
several reasons including Government policy,
shortage of capital, insufficient inputs and poor
marketing
had not been
Infrastructure.
involved In in the commercial past, this sector milk
production.
To lessen the impact of these problems and to
increase the contribution of this sector to
improving the quality of life In rural areas, it is
proposed that the Government should institute,
strengthen, and sustain programmes aimed at
encouraging small-scale farmers to participate in
commercial dairy production. The present efforts
being pursued by the Government should be
supported by all concerned, especially farmers.
With this strategy and the provision nf soft loans
and Incentives, the smallholder dairy sector
shouldexpand and help to improve the quality of
life in the rural sector.
Introduction
The small-scale sector has the majority of cattle
in Zambia and yet contributes no more than half
the national production of milk. Given the
potential that it holds, it should be possible to
increase the output of milk from this sector and
help satisfy national milk needs.
A study was conducted on small-scale dairy
farming to understand the main factors
contributing to the low output and to develop
possible solutions. The main sources of
information were interviews with a sample of
smallholder dairy farmers, extension workers,
papers presented at a national dairy workshop
and the personal experience ofthe author.
Background information
Zambia is a land-locked country in central Africa
situated between 8 and 18"south and 22 and 34"
east. It has a land area of 750,000 km 2 .The land
is mostly flat and varies 400 metessea in altitude between ( lan 900
and 1400 metres above bov
sea level
levl
(Planning
ing
Division, 1988). The surface relief is moderate to
gentle with low river gradients (Bessel and
Daplyn, 1976).
E.M. Kaluba
Mochipapa Research Station
P.O. Box 630090, Choma, Zambia
137
The climate and vegetation are subtropical
with three distinct seasons; a warm wet season
from November to April, accounting for 95% of
the annual rainfall, a cool dry winter (from May
to August) with mean temperatures ranging
between 15"C and 27"C and a hot dry season
(September to October) with temperatures
ranging from 27'C to 32'C. Annual rainfall
varies from less than 760 mm in the south to over
1270 mm in the north (Planning Division, 1988).
The predominant vegetation is woodland savannah
dominated by trees of the Brachystegia,
Julbernadia and Isoberlinia type. Forests are
confined to a few areas in the north and west of
the country Extensive grasslands occur in the
swamp and floodplain areas too wet for trees.
The population in 1988 was estimated at 7.53
million people, with an annual population
growth rate of 4.1% (1980 Census figures).
The size of the livestock industry
The present livestock population is estimated at
2.68 million cattle, 0.56 million goats and sheep
and 0.21 million pigs (Planning Division, 1988).
Approximately 83% of the cattle, 93% of the
sheep and goats and 86% of the pigs are owned
by the traditional small-scale farming sector
(Table 1).
Table 1. Estimates of livestock population In
Zabia 1988.
ctl
Simpand
Poi g
Connmrw 4M,1a 43,952 28,6W2
Traditional 2=,0 519.088 177,824
TOt 2,W4,196 BO,41 208,518
Sou: Plann D on (1984
s 0. 9 8.7
Livestock numbers have gradually increased
since 1985, with the largest increases being
recorded in goats and sheep at 7.8%per annum
and smallest increase being in cattle at 2.9% per
annum (Table 2).