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With the Land "O" Lakes becoming defunct, the Chadongo Group decided to take the matter into their own hands and gradually increased the number of cows year after year. Today, after a period of four years there are twelve cows and the initiative is now running the dairy with the existing group of members with hopes of developing the project to benefit all who are in the village.
Milk Production:
Mr Soloman D. Mphande explains that the intial project management was a tough task as there was very limited knowledge on the type of feed to be provided to maximize the yield per cow. But over the years with trial and error, the feed intake improved; and today each cow produces approximately 21 litres of milk per day. To provide more milk, the cows are fed with 80-90 kgs of Senjere or Gautamala grass with maize husk (gaga) and 20-30 litres of water per day with salt added to it, and the feed is divided into three portions given during the day.
Market:
The concept behind the development of the dairy project was that Land"O"Lakes will buy the entire production from the project. But since the organization is no longer involved "we sell our milk to the local people in the villages and to the people living in the company compounds at MK50 per litre" said Mr. Mphande.
Future Plans:
The group currently transports the milk to the users daily as there is no place where the milk can be stored and if this is not done, there is a threat of milk getting spoilt. It is to be sold on a daily basis even if it means to travel by foot to ensure that the milk reaches the buyer while its fresh. However, this does not always go as planned and there are days when some quantity is left unsold. The group has plans to have a storage tank with which they can preserve the milk and avoid from it getting spoilt. It is also exploring for a big consistent market or an organization that can buy the production for a agreed period of time. Mr. Mphande also says that they want to expand the farming to have cows for each member in order to supply more milk to the buyers and have their own milk production factory. "If this happens the organization will employ many more villagers and alleviate poverty", at the mean time the active members are only 20 percent of the initial 60 registered.
Current Limitations:
The Chairman says that the main problem is inadequate finances to complete their plans of having good and clean Kraal (Khola) for the dairy cows. Lack of resources to construct a milk tank, need for more trained farmers and lack of market (for supply growth) are other key issues. Furthermore, the group needs organizations to access loans for purchase of cement and chemicals (medicines) for the cows.
The committee consists of 12 members of whom Mr. Mphande is the Chairman, Mrs. Costa Nkhata -The Secretary and Mr. Peter Msuka the Treasurer with 9 other committee members.
Mr Mphande also mentioned that some members who were much interested in joining the group did bring cows on their own these were Mr. Faliji (VH), Mr C. Chikopa, Mr Town Longwe.
Mr Soloman D. Mphande explains that in addition to the dairy farming he also rears sheep and goats, 6 and 3 respectively and is a good farmer of maize, tobacco and cassava. The income is used to fund his children’s school fees and as savings to build a big house with iron sheets in the future. |
