Abstract
A study was carried out to evaluate the impact of interventions to solve constraints in smallholder dairy farms of the Western Highlands of Cameroon. The interventions consisted of improved breeding through introduction of artificial insemination, better feed supplementation, farmers training in milk processing and better veterinary services. Results show that there was a decrease in average monthly expenditures of 18% relative to the month before interventions started. Much of the expenditures were related to feed (38% of all costs). There was an overall increase in farm income. Close to 2/3 of the income were derived from milk products from home processed milk and culled animals. Only 7% income came from milk sold to the processing plant. The partial budget shows that before interventions, farmers lost $4.5/cow/month but gained $38/cow/month because of the interventions. The return was 2.32 and included opportunity income for milk home consumed and shared. When this opportunity income was ignored, the return stood at 1.93. The positive impact of interventions led to poverty alleviation and some farmers acquired more cows. A spill over effect is that more crop farmers are willing to be engaged at least partially in dairy farming. It will be good if many more farmers could benefit from these interventions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bayemi, P.H., Bryant, M.J., Perera, B.M.A.O., Mbanya, N.J., Cavestany, D., and Webb, E.C., 2005a. Milk production in Cameroon: A Review. Livestock research for rural development. Vol. 17, Art. #60. http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd17/6/baye17060.htm
Bayemi, P.H., Bryant, M.J., Pingpoh, D., Imele, H., Mbanya, J., Tanya,V., Cavestany, D., Awoh, J., Ngoucheme, A., Sali, D., Ekoue, F., Njakoi, H. and Webb, E.C., 2005b. Participatory Rural Appraisal of Dairy Farms in the North West Province of Cameroon. Livestock research for rural development. Vol. 17, Art. # 59. http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd17/6/baye17059.htm.
Bayemi, P.H., Webb E.C., Manjeli, Y. and Naoussi, P., 2007. Economic Opportunity Survey of Small Scale dairy farms of the North West province of Cameroon Accepted Tropical Animal Health and Production. 39:583–592
Braker, M.J.E., Udo, H.M.J. and Webb, E.C., 2002. Impacts of intervention objectives within subsistence farming systems in South Africa. South African Journal of Animal Science, 32(3).
FAO, 2004. Production yearbooks
Goldman, M., Pingpoh, D. and Totale, E., 1984. Milk consumers survey. Institute of Animal Research Bambui Centre, Working Document.
Kidane, H., 1993. Economic constraints of small holder milk production in Kenya: A linea programming approach. Borneo Review 42, p170.
Ndambi, A. and Bayemi, P.H., 2006. Cameroon-Dairy Sector and Chain Profile. In. Hemme et al. (2006). IFCN Dairy Report 2006. International Farm Comparison Network, IFCN Dairy Research Center, Kiel, Germany, p102.
Nordlund, K.V., Goodger, W.J., Bennett, T.B., Shamsuddin, M., Klos, R.F, 2007. Methods for conducting an economic opportunity survey in smallholder dairy farms. Tropical Animal Health and Production. 39:557–566
Pingpoh, D.P., 1985. Determination of the selling price of milk produced by the farmers of the Bamdnda Dairy Cooperative Society. Reviews of Science and Technology, 1, 113.
Staal, S.J., Owango, M., Muriuki, H., Kenyanjui, M., Lukuyu, B., Njoroge, L., Njubi, D., Baltenweck, I., Musembi, F., Bwana, O., Muriuki, K., Gichungu, G., Omore, A. and Thorpe, W., 2001. Dairy systems characterisation of the greater Nairobi milk Shed. SDP Research report. Smallholder Dairy (R&D) project, Nairobi, Kenya.
Tambi, E., 1998. Testing for habit formation in food commodity consumption patterns in Cameroon. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing, Vol 101, p26.
Tambi, E., and Vabi, M.B., 1994. Analysis of factors influencing dairy market involvement in Bamenda, North West Province, Cameroon. Agribusiness, Vol 104, p299
Tambi, E., Onesmus, M. and Ndi, C., 2006. An estimation of the economic impact of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in Africa. Revue des Sciences et Techniques Officielles des Epizooties.
Vabi, M.B. and Tambi, E., 1995. Household consumption patterns of dairy products in Bamenda urban town; North West Province, Cameroon. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing, Vol 72, p76.
Winrock International, 1992. Animal Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, 162 pp, University of California, Davis, CA: Institute of Agricultural Development
Acknowledgment
This work was sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors. Many thanks to Dr P J Boettcher of the IAEA, Dr Bill Goodger of the University of Wisconsin, Dr Devendra C and Dr Cavestany D for editing this paper. We express our gratitude to Apiembo Fopa Josue, Njong Vincent and Fonguh Emmanuel who helped in data collection.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bayemi, P.H., Webb, E.C., Ndambi, A. et al. Impact of management interventions on smallholder dairy farms of the western highlands of cameroon. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 907–912 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9278-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9278-3