The Post
Small-scale Dairy Producers
By Joan Chirwa
Dairy farming is one of the most rewarding agri-businesses which can help reduce poverty in rural areas, says Rebecca Mumba, a retired journalist.
An industry largely driven by small-holder farmers located in different parts of the country, the dairy sector has recorded numerous improvements over the years, with the small-scale producers accounting for the largest milk production figures on an annual basis.
According to recent statistics, smallholder dairy farmers last year contributed 60 per cent of the total milk production in Zambia. The medium to large-scale commercial farmers accounted for the remaining 40 per cent of Zambia's milk production in 2007. However, a number of smallholder dairy farmers face numerous challenges in milk production, among them lack of electricity to run the cooling system for milk before it is sold.
"All the dairy farmers under the Fisenge Dairy Business Association in Luanshya do not have electricity at their farms and this is one of the major challenges we have in milk production," said Mumba who is also director of the Fisenge Dairy Business Association in Luanshya and secretary of the Twikatane Women's Co-operative Group.
Dairy farming is one of the most rewarding agri-businesses which can help reduce poverty in rural areas, says Rebecca Mumba, a retired journalist.
An industry largely driven by small-holder farmers located in different parts of the country, the dairy sector has recorded numerous improvements over the years, with the small-scale producers accounting for the largest milk production figures on an annual basis.
According to recent statistics, smallholder dairy farmers last year contributed 60 per cent of the total milk production in Zambia. The medium to large-scale commercial farmers accounted for the remaining 40 per cent of Zambia's milk production in 2007. However, a number of smallholder dairy farmers face numerous challenges in milk production, among them lack of electricity to run the cooling system for milk before it is sold.
"All the dairy farmers under the Fisenge Dairy Business Association in Luanshya do not have electricity at their farms and this is one of the major challenges we have in milk production," said Mumba who is also director of the Fisenge Dairy Business Association in Luanshya and secretary of the Twikatane Women's Co-operative Group.
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