Cattle keepers in Gatsibo district are called upon to embrace modern methods to increase dairy products especially milk.
The call was made by LAND O’LAKES, a nonprofit organization that aims at transforming lives by engaging in agriculture and enterprise partnerships during the meeting on 16th February 2016.
The meeting gathered cattle keepers and milk sellers in Gatsibo district with a purpose of promoting milk production and sale.
Land O’Lakes International Development is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose vision is to be a global leader in transforming lives by engaging in agriculture and enterprise partnerships that replace poverty with prosperity, and dependency with self-reliance.
Charles Bizimana, inspector at LAND O’LAKES highlighted that cattle keepers face some challenges that prevent them from increasing milk production.
“One of the things that stop farmers from promoting milk yields is due to less knowledge in milk processing and lack of enough collection centres,” said Bizimana
We offer cattle keepers training and help them set up milk collection centres, added Bizimana.
One cattle keeper Madalena Uwakirisitu in Ngarama sector explained that the biggest challenge towards increasing dairy production is rearing traditional types of cows and lack of enough cattle feed.
“If we get modern cows we can develop socially. We request the authorities to supply us with water because the cows we have do not get enough water,” said Uwakirisitu
The livestock department in Gatsibo district revealed that a cow can produce 20 litres of milk per day it well taken care of while it can give 3 litres if not cared for.
During the meeting, it was decided that cattle keepers take good care of their cattle and follow the advice given by advisers on livestock health.
Cattle keeping is one of the activities that generate income to residents and increase district revenue.
