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Tropentag 2022, September 14 - 16, Prague, Germany
"Can agroecological farming feed the world? Farmers' and academia's views."
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Tailor-made microcredit for smallholder dairy farmers; improving the dairy sector
Meekness Kapaale1, Judith Kamanga2, Chileshe Chewe3
1Green innovation Centers for Agriculture and Food Sector, Zambia
2Mwimba College of Agriculture, Malawi
3Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Cooperative College, Zambia
Abstract
The dairy sector has been recognised as a potential profitable enterprise for smallholder dairy farmers in Zambia and Malawi. It provides a valuable source of regular income and contributes to food and nutrition security. However, this enterprise is currently characterised by low productivity due to poor access to agriculture financial services, resulting in inadequate animal feed resources, poor pasture development, unavailability of water, poor reproductive performance of dairy cows, untimely disease control and others. Furthermore, smallholder farmers are generally the most financially excluded group within the agriculture sector. Agricultural financing remains one of the critical enablers to facilitate growth within the sector. Micro Financing Institutions are seen as an opportunity for increased agricultural productivity and enhanced economic development. Therefore this project aims at creating a tailor-made microcredit package for smallholder dairy farmers calling for different stakeholders in the dairy sector. The project will use a participatory approach where a needs assessment will be done in the already existing diary groups or cooperatives.
Keywords: Microcredit, smallholder dairy farmers, stakeholders, tailor-made
Contact Address: Meekness Kapaale, Green innovation Centers for Agriculture and Food Sector, Monze, Zambia, e-mail: meeknesskapaalegmail.com
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