aistand south~ern afrkca - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

Tswana breed. However, there are few
commercial dairy farmers who keep exotic
breeds such as the Holstein-Friesians, Jerseys,
Simmental, Brown Swiss and some crossbred
animals. In 1988, it was estimated that
commercial dairy farms had a total of 2750 milk
cows of which 1340 produced an average of 4.1
million litres of milk per year (Animal
Production Division, 1989). This only met 26% of
the local demand. The deficit is met by imports
from South Africa and sometimes from
Zimbabwe.
A research programme was initiated on dairy
production to develop appropriate dairy
production systems for both small and large
scale producers. Traditional amall-scale milking
entails overnight separation of cows and calves
and morning milking using suckling to stimulate
milk let down. It was found necessary therefore,
to determine the potential of such a system for
increasing milk productior, and to develop
appropriate management packages for the
system.
The major objective of the programme was to
increase milk production by small-scale
communal peri-urban cattle owners.
Development of the research
programme
The increase in milk production by peri-urban
small-scale farmers in Botswana has been the
major objective of the Ministry of Agriculture in
the past six-year NDP 6 (Ministry of Finance
Development Planning, 1985). It was thought
that increased production in this sector would
not only increase local supplies for home
consumption but could also lead to surpluses
available for sale to the rapidly increasing urban
population. With increased urbanisation, the
demand for milk and milk products increased by
15% during the NDP 6. In 1985, Botswana
imported 80% of its fresh milk needs and the
entire requirement for other milk by-products.
Today the country siands abut 16 million Pula
(an equivalent of US$ 8 million) annually on
these imports (Ministry of Finance Development
Planning, 1991). This is a food security issue and
cannot be left unchecked. In response, investigation
programmes into milk production
systems were initiated in 1979 (APRU, 1982).
The development of a milk industry in
Botswana is affected by both technical and
non-technical constraints. Cattle production
depends on the availability of adequate feed
supplies and good management. Recurring
drought, unreliable rainfall and poor soil fertility
cause feed supplies to fluctuate both in quantity
and quality. F otein and mineral content of the
natural pastur~as is generally low, especially
during the dry seoson. Conservation and storage
of feed from the tile ofits maximum availability
to the time of its tse could be a usefil strategy.
Though crop residues are available after grain
90
harvest, the use of these plant materials as
livestock feed by the small-scale farmers is
constrained by lack of transport, labour and the
long distance bitween homestead and fields.
Improvement of the Tswana breed for milk
production has been done through crossbreeding
by using performance tested Simmental bulls.
The major problems affecting the provision of
this service to livestock producers are:
inadequate artificial insemination facilities;
insufficient numbers of selected bulls for
interested farmers; and the shortage ofqualified
personnel at both technical and professional
levels.
Livestock diseases have been controlled quite
effectively through strategies developed by the
Department of Animal Health and Production.
Desrtet olm Helh an Productio
vesp ites ch ast and
qualified staff to conduct rsearch and field
investigations pose problems in the control of
ivestia sept
livestock diseases.
Surplus milk produced in the traditional
sector during the wet season is fermented to
make madila (sour milk). The long distances
involved, lack of transport and of proper cooling
facilities preclude the sale of fresh surplus milk
in urban areas.
A small-scale dairy research programme was
conceived and implemented to diagnose the
major constraints contributing to low milk
production, followed by on-farm testing of
alternative technologies. An on-farm dairy
research project was started and located in the
traditional farming area in the Gaborone Region.
The aims of the project were (1) to examine the
potential for increasing production of milk and
milk products; (2) to test management
technologies developed on-station to improve
milk production; and (3) to evaluate the economic
viability of these interventions. This project is
jointly financ ad by the Government of Botswana
and tb- 1..ernational Development Research
Centre (IDRC) of Canada. To date, there are 46
farmers participating in the project and all of
whom practise mixed crop-livestock production
within the Gaborone peri-urban communal
areas.
hr.piementation of the prograiyae
The major objectives of the project were to:
• increase milk production by small-scale
farmers through improved breeding, feeding
and management
• identify the socio-economic factors and
constraints limiting production, marketing
and consumption of milk in the rural areas
° evaluate the technical and economic
performance of new interventions
• strengthen the local research capacity
through training.