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Pakistan Dairy Development Company
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| Community Farms |
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Introduction:
This programme is intended to group poorer farmers in a manner
which allows them to receive technical and financial assistance to introduce
improved farm management practices. It is important that the needs and wishes
of the community are taken into account when establishing the structure, nature
and scale of the community organisation. Such grouping is intended to allow the
necessary technical and financial assistance to be provided in an economic manner,
while providing opportunity for poorer farmers and their families to build stakes in society.
Identification of suitable communities:
Identification of these communities will be provided by relevant agencies
(possibly NGO’s or RSP’s) with experience in social mobilisation and community
development. It is intended that these agencies will also provide ongoing
community support and business management support and training. It is intended
that this programme will eventually provide farmers with the farm management
abilities to manage the farm effectively and profitably without external
assistance at the conclusion of the five year programme.
Programme Details:
Community farms will be able to produce milk in greater volumes, of higher
quality, and more profitably than is presently occurring. This will provide
greater income for the participant farmers and provide opportunities for growth
that they are currently denied.
The programme will focus on delivering technical advice and knowledge to
promote the use of improved farm management practices, leading to increased
productivity and profitability. This will then provide opportunity for participants
to grow equity and wealth, hopefully providing a ‘stepping stone’ for the individual
to establish a dairy farm in his/her own right. This would then provide an
opening for another small farmer to take his place in the community farm,
and to take advantage of the opportunity to grow his/her farming skills, equity and wealth.
It is intended that the scale of each community farm would involve 10 – 30
households generally with livestock holdings of 1 – 4 animals. PDDC is flexible
in terms of the scale of investment provided that the proposal is economically viable.
If the proposed farm is to occupy single premises then funds can be made
available for the purchase of land for this farm if necessary. Ideally a
proposed community would be located in an area where cultivated land is
available for lease in order to provide an economic source of fodder for stock.
It may be beneficial to select long settled communities with close ties and links (possibly family) that
would reduce the chances of conflict and dispute.
In some cases, there maybe opportunity for links with the PDDC Milk Pocket Development Programme, which may provide improved use of resources.
Community Farm Description:
The concept of a Community Farm will need to be flexible to take into account
the needs of the particular community. The basic concept is to utilize a walled
plot of land of around 2 acres, ideally provided by the community, or to be purchased
for the community farm. This will then be equipped with the components as listed below,
to establish a feedlot. Sheds and fencing will provide comfortable housing,
allowing animals to be untied and therefore having 24 hour access to feed and water,
while allowing animals to move where they are most comfortable and exhibiting normal
behaviour (particularly for mating). A basic milking machine and cooling tank will
be provided adjacent to the milking animals shed to improve milk quality and animal
health. The introduction of equipment such as water troughs, cooling systems, animal
identification, feed preparation equipment, and water boring and pumps, will allow
for greater animal productivity and reduced costs. The farm must have access to
basic infrastructure (roads, electricity, sweet water) and be carefully located to
ensure easy access for the community, along with access to land that is available
for lease to grow high quality (but low cost) fodder. Labour will be provided by
the farmers themselves, with this involvement allowing them to develop skills
and knowledge and allowing this knowledge to spread through the greater community.
Equipment provided:
PDDC will provide the following equipment to allow changes in farm management,
depending on the community’s requirements:
-Sheds
-Shed cooling system
-Fencing
-Feed Preparation Equipment
-Milking machine
-Pump and boring
-Cooling tank
-Water troughs
-Mastitis control equipment
-Biogas
The most important provision is three years of guidance
and technical support from a Community Farm Advisor.
Targets and term of involement:
The initial proposal is for 100 community farms to be
installed over a five year period, as follows:
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Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
| No. of farms |
10 |
20 |
20 |
25 |
25 |
As further interest and involvement from external agencies is
realised (eg. Provincial government and aid/development agencies)
there may be the potential to expand and extend the scope of the programme.
The actual time of involvement will be substantially greater than this.
The programme will extend to three years support for each community farm after
installation, with a gradually reducing input from both Social Mobilisation
Agencies (support for governance and perhaps business management) and PDDC
Community Farms Advisors (farm management and training).
Finance:
This programme will involve a considerable degree of
commercial finance. This is to provide commercial discipline,
reduce funding from GOP, and to expose the community to the commercial
realities of operating a dairy farm in the current environment. A successful
and profitable community farm will also lead to greater participation of formal
finance in the future. A grant component of 25% is provided by PDDC, on a phased basis.
Summary:
Community farms will provide a means for poor and landless
farmers to access finance and technical and business support,
generating greater profits, providing opportunities for business
growth, and building a stake in society.
We are currently looking to contract Social Mobilisation services from
relevant interested agencies. If you feel that your community or organisation
may be able to participate or assist, please contact: info@pddc.com.pk
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