Editor’s note: Dairymail Africa, October 2010

Conserving a legacy

Milk looks simple enough when poured from a carton. However, behind the scenes is a complex system of hard work, professionalism, dedication and commitment. This is true of millions of smallholder dairy farmers in Africa who milk indigenous breeds, yielding an average of 5 ℓ per day.

Nearly 3 million people in Africa are directly tied to livestock and dairy farming. The cost of milk is a question of land use, where farmers lack inputs, technical knowledge, technology and hybrids. Most farmers in Africa still run relatively small indigenous herds and raise their own feed crops. This is a relatively benign use of the land, a means of protecting open space and a more acceptable form of stewardship.

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