1. Introduction
2. ELCT mission
3. Objectives of the dairy farming project:
4. Methods:
5. Achievements:
6. Future plans
7. Acknowledgements
Ghamunga Sudi1 and Mr. Ibrahim Mahenge2
1Diocese of Meru
P.O. Box 96 Usa River
2ECLT - Headquarters
P.O. Box 3033, Arusha
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) is a Church organization composed of twenty Lutheran Dioceses spread all over Tanzania. Map. 1 ELCT as an organisation was formed in 1963 by the coming together initially of seven Diocese and Synods. Since that time to date it has grown into twenty Diocese which have undertaken joint development work through out Tanzania in a number of projects. Dairy farming has been one of the major undertaking spreading to seventeen Dioceses out of the twenty.
Dairy as an ELCT - Project started in a humbler way at Purka in the current ELCT - Diocese in Arusha Region.
ELCT as a Church Organisation has a mandate to serve the complete person, that is his sprit, body and mind. Having this in mind it is one of cardinal duties and concerns that the Church has to see that it takes care of the under privileged, the poor and the handicapped.
One of the means that the Church has used to reach the poor is through promotion of Dairy fanning by heifer distribution in the rural areas. Regardless of religious affiliation political philosophy or tribe affiliation.
Fig. 1 Dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
|
1. |
ELCT - Diocese in Arusha Region |
Arusha |
|
2. |
ELCT - Diocese of Meru |
Usa River |
|
3. |
ELCT - Northern Diocese |
Moshi |
|
4. |
ELCT - Pare Diocese |
Same |
|
5. |
ELCT - North Eastern Diocese |
Lushoto |
|
6. |
ELCT - Eastern and Coastal Diocese |
Dar es Salaam |
|
7. |
ELCT - Ulanga Kilombero Diocese |
Ifakara |
|
8. |
ELCT - South Diocese |
Njombe |
|
9. |
ELCT - South Central Diocese |
Bulongwa Makete |
|
10. |
ELCT - Iringa Diocese |
Iringa |
|
11. |
ELCT - South West Diocese |
Matamba |
|
12. |
ELCT - Konde Diocese |
Tukuyu |
|
13. |
ELCT - Central Diocese |
Singida |
|
14. |
ELCT - Dodoma Diocese |
Dodoma |
|
15. |
ELCT - Karangwe Diocese |
Karangwe |
|
16. |
ELCT - North Western Diocese |
Bukoba |
|
17. |
ELCT - East of Lake Victoria |
Mwanza |
|
18. |
ELCT - Diocese in Mara Region |
Musoma |
|
19. |
ELCT - Mbulu Diocese |
Mbulu |
|
20. |
ELCT - Morogoro Diocese |
Morogoro |
It has all along been felt that the Church has a duty to the poor that it has to assist communities and reach them and provide means by which the rural poor would feel that they are part of the society, gain self confidence and live a productive and hopeful life.Hence the main objective was to raise the standard of life of the poor rural communities by provide, either purebred or crossbred dairy heifers. It was expected that activities related to raising dairy cattle would be so involving that either the individual or the village community would improve and raise the living conditions around him/her or the community.
The activities which include; identification of deserving individuals, skills training; preparation for receiving heifers; caring for heifers milking and selling of milk would in the long run get the individual realize ones potential and live confidently in the society.
ELCT - Started this project in 1984, after it had been going on in a small scale 1974 at Purka in the ELCT - Diocese in Arusha Region. ELCT sought donors who provided funds for purchasing of heifers within and from outside Tanzania such as from Kenya, Zimbabwe or even from Europe and America.Others aspects which enable the Management of the project were the establishment of a coordination office at ELCT - Headquarters and recruitment of supervisors at Diocesan levels. Individuals who were given these tasks were experienced people in animal husbandry or veterinary extension services. Their duties were to identify and train prospective small scale dairy farmers in the various rural areas. This work was carried out in cooperation with village committees and Ministry of Agriculture livestock extension personnel and Training Institutes.
Farmers prepared themselves by attending schedule courses, Homestead preparation of pasture plots, cow sheds and reserve medicines for disease control. Heifers were distribution to only those farmers who were ready and had fulfilled the laid down conditions of deserving such heifers. Heifers were given on credit on condition that the farmer would give the first, weaned at 6-8 months, heifer to another identified farmer in the community.
Since 1990 ELCT introduced a further condition that a farmer would give back a third offspring to the project to enable the project maintain the "Heifer chain" for project sustainablity.
1. Out of the twenty dioceses, seventeen dioceses have participated Map 2.2. 1345 heifers were originally distributed and 1682 "pass on heifers distributed. This shows that 3027 families received heifers under his project since 1984. See table 1.
.....
5. ELCT has been able to participate in farmers training programmes in the course of preparing recipient farmers.6. ELCT has been able to make an influence on environmental conservation by promoting of zero grazing, pasture establishment and Biogas digesters construction in areas where it was possible.
7. ELCT has been able to work together with other Institutions in the general development of the rural communities.
8. ELCT has been able to create awareness and rise the rural communities expectations and hopes that they also can lead viable lives.
|
ANIMAL DISTRIBUTION | ||||
|
DIOCESE |
ORIGINAL RECIPIENTS |
PASS ON HEIFERS |
TOTAL FAMILY ASSISTED | |
|
1. |
Diocese in Arusha Region |
400 |
752 |
1152 |
|
2, |
Northern Diocese |
60 |
258 |
318 |
|
3. |
Pare Diocese |
120 |
161 |
281 |
|
4, |
North Eastern Diocese |
60 |
46 |
106 |
|
5. |
Eastern & Coastal Diocese |
60 |
13 |
73 |
|
6. |
Ulanga Kilombero Diocese |
60 |
32 |
92 |
|
7. |
Iringa Diocese |
60 |
18 |
78 |
|
8. |
Southern Diocese |
90 |
92 |
182 |
|
9. |
Southern Central Diocese |
90 |
103 |
193 |
|
10. |
Konde Diocese |
60 |
45 |
105 |
|
11. |
Dodoma Diocese |
30 |
12 |
42 |
|
12. |
Central Diocese |
75 |
43 |
118 |
|
13. |
Eastern of Lake Victoria |
30 |
- |
20 |
|
14. |
North Western Diocese |
35 |
20 |
55 |
|
15. |
Karagwe Diocese |
25 |
18 |
43 |
|
16. |
Diocese in Mara Region |
30 |
6 |
36 |
|
17. |
Meru Diocese |
60 |
63 |
123 |
|
|
TOTALS: 17 |
1345 |
1682 |
3027 |
ELCT Dairy farming project has still a long way to go to reach all the dioceses and meet even more prospective farmers in the areas where it operates. The Scope of work is still wide but there are several constraints among which are:
i) Unavailability of Heifers
ii) Limited funds
iii) Trained personnel
iv) Limited markets for milk products.
v) Milk processing
vi) Transportation of milk to the marketing points etc.
ELCT has received assistance from a number of organisations and individuals of which we would like to give our sincere gratitude to only a few on behalf of others: Lutheran World Relief; Lutheran World Federation; Heifer Project International; African Development Foundation. Tanzania Government Ministry of Agriculture. The authors would also like to thank the ELCT General Secretary and Director of Planning and Development for having allowed us to attend the Workshop and present this paper.
DISCUSSION
Q. Dr. Grant Mwakatundu
What are the production levels of the heifers in your project as indicators of management?
Response
Milk levels of 5-10 litres/day for crossbred heifers:
Q. G.B.M. Phiri
How does the project intend to further solve the constraint ok m-au- availability of dairy heifers?
Response:
Due to limited funding the option of farmers to farmers' pass on will still remain the main solution owing to the fact that even when funds are available, heifers are not readily available.
Q. K.J. Boki
It seems the ELCT approach is to give an in-calf heifer to the poor of the poorest. To me she/he is a target for drinking milk. How does a poor man manage to construct a cow-shed, buy the required inputs (medicaments, concentrates etc.) in order to enable the animal to produce milk?
Response:
By providing a credit extended to farmers by the project through the village government as a revolving fund the farmers are able to manage. They pay back to the village after starting to sell milk.
Q. E.T. Maganga
What criteria is used for selecting the farmers?
Response:
The village committee together with the pastor selects candidates who should get heifers and are willing to attend training after pasture establishment and cow shed construction.
Q. R. Mshangama
i) Are there any conditions that are required to be met by farmers before getting in calf heifers?ii) Is there any sex preference for the third offspring which farmers are required to give back to the project?
Response
i) Farmers are required to establish pastures, construct a cow shed and agree to attend training as well as adhere to zero grazing.ii) There is no sex preference so the farmer can give back a bull calf provided it is in good health & condition and is saleable.
Q. Dr. S. Mbogoh
As an NGO you are undertaking activities that are generally done by the Government. How do you ensure collaboration and non-hostility from Government officers?
Response:
We do not work against the Government but we use the Government machinery as well as government extension workers but what ELCT does is to facilitate their work.
