We aimed to describe the management and productivity of this group of smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya at the beginning of an intervention program and to document relevant observed changes in the 3rd year of the intervention. A 3-year intervention program, focused on management of animal health and nutrition, and milk quality, was implemented by one Kenyan and two Canadian non-governmental organizations (one university based) to help improve the milk production and livelihoods of Kenyan smallholder dairy farmers (primarily women). Thirty farmers were enrolled and completed questionnaires at the start and end of the project. Focus groups were also conducted to obtain qualitative information on livelihood effects from the program. In 2004, 70% of the eligible youngstock (more than 15 months of age) were pregnant, and cows had a long average days-in-milk of 240 days. External parasites, poor hygiene, and long claws were not uncommon among cows, and 37% and 20% of the farms reported clinical intestinal parasitism and diarrhea in youngstock. In 2006, there were significant improvements in the proportion of farms planting high-protein forages, farms using better milking procedures, and on-farm milk storage methods. The reported mastitis incidence rate fell from 0.55 to 0.20 cases/cow-year (p < 0.01), and the average number of cows and youngstock significantly increased from 1.5 and 0.9 to 2.9 and 2.6, respectively. There were reported improvements in the livelihoods among the member families. The partnership-based intervention program significantly improved management and productivity of this group of smallholder dairy farmers in rural Kenya, leading to reported livelihood benefits.
Objective: To examine associations among diet quality and dairy group membership, membership duration and non-member status for women and school-aged children in rural Kenya. Design: A cross-sectional survey, using chain referral sampling, was conducted and diet quality indices and prevalence of inadequate intake (PII) were estimated using the 'estimated average requirement' cut-off point method from single 24 h recalls, using a Kenyan nutrient database. PII was compared among members and non-members and among membership-duration groups. Subjects: Women and children of dairy group members (n 88), across membership-duration groups (1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 101 years), and non-members (n 23) living among members. Setting: Small farms in central Kenya. Results: Members had higher energy, percentage of energy from animal-source foods and dietary diversity. Member women and children had lower PII for respectively seven and three of eleven micronutrients. Reduced PII for milk-source micronutrients was associated with membership duration for women. Many member women (38 %) had inadequate vitamin A intake and 39 % of member children had inadequate Zn intake. Members' PII was also high (.45 %) for Fe, Ca and vitamin B 12 . A higher prevalence of being overweight among member women compared with non-member women suggested nutrition transition effects of higher farm productivity. Conclusions: Dairy group membership was positively associated with adequate quantity and quality of diets for women and children. Long-term membership was insufficient to address micronutrient deficiencies. Understanding and addressing barriers to better diet quality and strategies to mitigate negative nutrition transition effects are needed to optimize nutritional outcomes of dairy group membership.
. Association between duration of community-based group membership and sustainable livelihoods for Kenyan women dairy farmers. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 3(1) AbstractKenyan community leaders called for strengthened sustainable livelihoods for farmers and in 1992 formed a self-help dairy group that was reorganized in 2009 to form the Wakulima Dairy Ltd. (WDL). At WDL, members sell surplus milk to the dairy and, through nongovernmental organization (NGO) partnerships, receive training to enhance dairy farm productivity. As a result, higher milk production has been reported; however, data are lacking on sustainability and livelihood outcomes of dairy training for women farmers. To inform future projects and interventions, our study objectives were to determine the relationships between dairy group membership and duration of membership, sustainable livelihood assets, household income, and food security. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey of 88 WDL members (among four membership duration groups) and 23 nonmember farmers. Milk production and herd size were higher for greater-thanthree-year members compared to nonmembers and one-to-three-year members. The proportion of households with an income from dairy of greater than 5,000 ksh/month (ranging from 0 to 40 percent), food security (ranging from 4 to 30 percent), and number of improved household characteristics
ere is a growing interest in protein supplementation of dairy-cow diets using leguminous shrubs. e study objective was to ascertain the association between diet supplementation with Calliandra calothyrsus and Sesbania sesban and milk production in dairy cattle on commercial smallholder farms. is trial involved 235 cows from 80 smallholder dairy farms in Kenya randomly allocated to 4 intervention groups: (1) receiving Calliandra and Sesbania and nutritional advice; (2) receiving reproductive medicines and advice; (3) receiving both group 1 and 2 interventions; and (4) receiving neither intervention. Farm nutritional practices and management data were collected in a questionnaire, and subsequent physical examinations, mastitis tests, and milk production of cows on the farm were monitored approximately monthly for 16 months. Descriptive and univariable statistical analyses were conducted, and multivariable mixed-model regression was used for identification of factors associated (P < 0.05) with daily milk production. e mean milk production was 6.39 liters/cow/day (SD � 3.5). Feeding Calliandra/Sesbania to cows was associated (P < 0.0005) with an increase in milk produced by at least 1 liter/cow/day with each kg fed. Other variables positively associated with ln daily milk production in the final model included feeding of Napier grass, amount of silage and dairy meal fed, body condition score, and appetite of the cow. Other variables negatively associated with ln daily milk production in the final model included amount of maize germ fed, days in milk, sudden feed changes, pregnancy, and subclinical mastitis. In conclusion, our field trial data suggest that use of Calliandra/Sesbania through agroforestry can improve milk production in commercial smallholder dairy farms in Kenya. Agroforestry land use systems can be adopted as a way for dairy farmers to cope with feed shortages and low crude protein in farm-available feeds for their cows.
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