Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project

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1 International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability ISSN: (Print) X (Online) Journal homepage: Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project Christie Peacock & Thomasine Hastings To cite this article: Christie Peacock & Thomasine Hastings (2011) Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project, International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9:1, To link to this article: Published online: 08 Jun Submit your article to this journal Article views: 1000 View related articles Citing articles: 2 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

2 Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project Christie Peacock* and Thomasine Hastings FARM-Africa, Clifford s Inn, Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1BZ, UK Improving the production and marketing of livestock kept by smallholder farmers in Africa has the potential to be a route out of poverty for millions of families. However, farmers ability to improve livestock production is constrained by access to key services such as veterinary and breeding services. FARM-Africa has pioneered an approach to establishing dairy goat enterprises on small farms that places all key services in the hands of farmers and the private sector. An example of this approach implemented in a project in Kenya is described. The approach has been extremely successful and is already spreading across East Africa. Total milk production and incomes increased 10-fold within five years. Farmers are starting to sell fresh milk to supermarkets in Nairobi. With greater investment, the model could reach many more families. FARM-Africa is planning to expand the breeding and animal healthcare model through a franchising business model. Keywords: dairy; enterprise; goats; Kenya; livestock; veterinary services Introduction FARM-Africa has been at the forefront of piloting agricultural interventions appropriate to the needs of poorer farmers on small farms in East Africa for over 20 years. Many of these interventions are based on livestock because they already play an important role as assets, supporting the socio-economic security of families, and have the potential to play a bigger role in boosting incomes. Goats are particularly well adapted to small farms and are able to convert unused vegetation into valuable milk and income (Peacock, 1996). For vulnerable families, it is less risky to own a number of goats than fewer, more expensive, cows of similar value. For this reason, FARM-Africa has spent over 20 years in developing a practical and cost-effective goat improvement strategy for families on small farms that is based on community-managed breed improvement (Peacock, 2005). This case study is based on the successes of FARM- Africa s Meru Dairy Goat and Animal Healthcare Project, which was undertaken in the then Meru Central and Meru South districts of Kenya between December 1996 and December 2003 and summarizes the impact on the target beneficiaries and the wider community. Background FARM-Africa has been supporting activities targeting poverty alleviation in eastern Kenya since FARM-Africa s approach is to provide support to resource-poor rural farmers in establishing dairy goat enterprises (DGEs) by introducing a breeding programme to cross exotic Toggenburg goats with local goats, and to develop an animal healthcare network by assisting in the training and establishment of Community Animal Healthcare Workers (CAHWs), Animal Health Assistants (AHAs) and private vets. Dairy goat enterprises FARM-Africa has significant experience in the establishment of DGEs, having carried out projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Through these activities FARM-Africa has developed and disseminated the goat model in which imported high milk-yielding Toggenburg goats are mated with local goats to produce an improved goat breed with a superior yield of milk and faster-growing offspring for sale. Target farmers are selected as the poorest families in their community and organized into groups of approximately 25 members, each of which is assisted to establish a buck station where *Corresponding author. christiep@farmafrica.org.uk 9(1) 2011 PAGES , doi: /ijas # 2011 Earthscan. ISSN: (print), X (online).

3 204 C. Peacock and T. Hastings local goats are mated with Toggenburg bucks. Breeding stations are also established to breed pure replacement bucks. Farmers already owning goats cross-breed them with the bucks under a controlled breeding programme. Participants with no goats are issued one to three local Galla goats on credit for breeding. The strategy is to create a crossbred goat comprising 3/4 Toggenburg and 1/4 local, which combines the superior milk yield of Toggenburgs and the resilience of local goats. Training is provided to farmers on goat management and housing, goat health, breed improvement, fodder establishment and management, and group dynamics. Animal healthcare Alongside the goat breeding activities, and as an integral part of the goat model, FARM-Africa assists in establishing an innovative and economically sustainable three-tiered community-based private animal healthcare system to support dairy goat farmers in maintaining the health of their livestock. The system is financially viable and delivers affordable animal healthcare to even the poorest farmers. It consists of a network of CAHWs trained to provide basic services to local livestock owners, such as worming, vaccinations and hoof trimming. The training also covers the feeding and management of livestock, enabling CAHWs to advise farmers on all aspects of animal welfare and disease prevention. The CAHWs are supervised by a smaller number of AHAs who support the CAHWs in their activities and established rural drug shops in local market centres within the project area. The AHAs are linked to private vets from whom they purchase drugs, often at a discount due to the volumes bought by the vet s network of AHAs. Vets oversee the network in their area and treat more serious cases referred to them by AHAs. FARM-Africa has helped to establish private veterinary practices for qualified vets in the project areas. This approach to animal healthcare was unique in the area at the time of the Meru Dairy Goat and Animal Healthcare Project s inception in providing farmers with access to affordable and much-needed veterinary services through the establishment of viable private businesses to meet their requirements. Summary of the project processes Project summary At the request of the Government of Kenya s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, FARM- Africa initiated the project in The project benefited from lessons learnt in FARM-Africa s earlier interventions in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Its design sought to ensure that all key inputs required in the long term were delivered by farmer-managed enterprises (such as breeding stock) or through private sector suppliers (such as veterinary services) recruited from the community. This ensured the sustainability of the project as farmers were not reliant on external sources for vital inputs. This became the Meru Dairy Goat and Animal Healthcare Project (the Meru project), which was implemented in three phases over six years: Phase I operated from December 1996 to March 1999, Phase II ran from April 1999 to March 2002, and Phase III operated from July 2002 to December Details of each phase are provided below. Phases I and II: With support from the British Government s Department for International Development, FARM-Africa initiated the Meru project in The project focused on raising the living standards among the poorest farmers in the then Meru Central and Meru South districts. Poor farmers were selected based on locally determined criteria for poverty, such as their inability to send their children to school, lack of regular income, living in temporary housing, having no cattle and small land size relative to the area. Those classified as poor were allowed to join the dairy goat groups through which FARM-Africa implemented the programme. Project objectives were to be achieved through the following outputs: community-based cross-breeding of local goats with exotic Toggenburg goats; formation and training of autonomous self-help groups to undertake breeding activities; strengthened community management of breed improvement activities through capacity building for the Meru Goat Breeders Association (MGBA); development of CAHWs, AHAs, and a private veterinary and drug supply service; improvement of fodder supplies through community bulking and on-farm planting of suitable additional fodders; development of an effective extension support service through the existing Ministry of Agriculture/Ministry of Livestock Development staff and extension system. Phase III: The Meru Capacity Building and Outreach Project was the final phase of the Meru project. It was

4 Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project 205 intended to build the capacity of farmers organizations to ensure their sustainability after FARM- Africa s withdrawal. This was to be achieved through the following three key activities: 1. Increase awareness on community-based systems of livestock improvement and animal healthcare at the district and national level. 2. Strengthen the MGBA and the Meru Animal Health Workers Group (MAHWG) to become independent self-financing organizations. 3. Produce and disseminate training materials. Implementing partnerships The project was implemented through a partnership between FARM-Africa and the Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Development extension staff. This was important to ensure that farmers received the support that they needed from staff already based in the field, and reduced the overall cost of the project by harnessing the skills and resources of under used government staff. Social capital While the project did not set out with the objective of increasing social capital, strengthening both formal and informal institutions within the target communities was vital to ensure the sustainability of the project and is an important factor in its success. Great effort was made to work with community leaders to define poverty in their communities and use these indicators to identify the poorest of the poor. The selected farmers (61 per cent women, 39 per cent men) were formed into groups of members that elected a committee and registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Those members who did not already own goats were provided with two Galla goats purchased from northern Kenya. This has also helped raise the status of women by ensuring that they are included in the formation of farmers groups and represented in monitoring and evaluation surveys. Participating farmers were also selected as buck keepers and breeding station managers, and they received special training for these roles. Not only does this ensure a future supply of breeding stock, but it resulted in the creation of the MGBA, an institution through which the cross-breeding of Toggenburg and Galla goats is managed and through which the technology can be disseminated, farmers can network and best practice be shared. It coordinates buck rotations to manage breeding, organizes and participates in local and national goat shows, helps its members market their goats and is responsible for registering cross-bred goats with the Kenya Stud Book. MGBA members have successfully entered shows such as the Brookside National Elite Livestock Show in Nairobi, increasing the confidence of group members and showing the high quality of the goats being bred by project participants. In addition to groups previously mentioned, networks such as the East Africa Goat Development Network and the Kenya Goat Development Network have emerged and are used as a means of disseminating information on project experiences between farmers throughout the region. Animal healthcare institutions, both formal and informal, were also developed as part of the project. CAHWs have become important figures in their communities, not only by treating sick animals but also by offering advice and training on how to keep livestock healthy, thus becoming valuable extension workers. CAHWs also help to organize vaccination campaigns to ensure that all livestock within the community is properly protected. In 2000 the healthcare providers (vets, AHAs and CAHWs) set up the MAHWG to act as a forum for all service providers working in the project area to exchange ideas; organize training for their members; represent members in scientific meetings and workshops and inform members of latest practice; develop linkages with important partners drug suppliers, government bodies. In the absence of financial institutions willing to invest in MAHWG members under reasonable terms, they set up their own savings and credit group (SACCO) to lend money to members to develop their businesses. MAHWG is thriving and each member has developed his or her business in some way. Some examples of expansion include one vet who has opened a second drug shop and one AHA who has paid for a drug shop attendant to train as an AHA. MAHWG itself has won a contract from the government to deliver artificial insemination services throughout Meru district. MAHWG plans to build its own diagnostic laboratory in the future. Project innovations While the use of European dairy goat breeds to improve goats in East Africa is not new, FARM-Africa s

5 206 C. Peacock and T. Hastings approach seeks to ensure sustainability through a number of innovations. The high level of training given to farmers participating in FARM-Africa projects is unusual, and ensures that the crossbred goats are able to perform to their full potential giving a greatly increased supply of kids and milk. This training also allows the technology to be passed on to other farmers who were not originally involved in the project. The establishment of community-managed breeding stations is also key to the success of the project. Past projects have relied on the distribution of stock from central breeding stations, which in all cases has not proved to be sustainable. Cross-breeding in situ also develops immunity to local diseases in kids. Having a reliable healthcare system for the improved goats is also vital. FARM-Africa has learnt from previous interventions, in both its own and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) projects, to create a system whereby farmers have access to affordable veterinary care for their animals. Having these services provided by the private sector through the establishment of successful, profitable veterinary practices is also highly unusual in East Africa. Project outcomes Adoption of the Goat Model The number of households active in dairy goat farming has risen significantly following FARM- Africa s project in Meru district. The project originally targeted 500 families but, by the time of the April 2002 evaluation, 1,320 families were directly participating in the project through 72 groups. Records at buck stations, complemented by focus group discussions and interviews with both project participants and private breeders carried out during an independent study in 2009, indicate that nonproject breeders now outnumber original breeders in a ratio of 3:1. This results in a total of 5,320 beneficiary families for the Meru area, or some 32,000 people. 1 This achievement of a penetration rate of over 5,000 farmers in 12 years implies that close to 6 per cent of the 105,000 families then resident in both Meru Central and Meru South districts have adopted the technology. The success of the project is also indicated by the high number of farmers who have spontaneously adopted the technology without the direct involvement of FARM-Africa staff or resources. The training given to farmers and animal health workers participating in the Meru project has enabled the technology to be passed on through farmer-to-farmer contact, thus spreading far beyond the communities originally targeted. Areas covered and predicted spread of technology While the project originally targeted the Meru Central and Meru South districts, the area covered is now much wider. The goat model has been successfully adopted in other parts of Kenya, with DGEs now established in 75 districts following the sale of goats bred under the Meru project to these areas. Furthermore, both cross-bred goats and pure Toggenburgs have been exported throughout East Africa, with goats supplied to Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. FARM-Africa-supported farmers are currently the only suppliers of certified purebred improver goats in the region, with demand far outstripping supply. There is currently a waiting list for over 3,000 pure Toggenburgs from a range of sources, including government agencies, NGOs and local farmers groups, which indicates great potential for the further expansion of DGEs in the region. Due to the numbers of goats sold and the wide geographical area to which they have been exported, it is impossible to identify all areas in which farmers have adopted the goat model; thus many beneficiaries are unknown and untraceable. Additionally, FARM- Africa frequently receives requests for information on how to implement the goat model, from NGOs, governments and farmers throughout Africa, and has prepared several documents to assist in the adoption of the technology, which it freely disseminates. An example of this is the Goat Production Handbook, which gives information on how to follow the goat model, detailing aspects of livestock care, breeding, milking and housing. Government extension staff who have been trained in participatory techniques as part of FARM-Africa s projects feel this has improved their interactions with farmers, resulting in an expansion of their services to neighbouring divisions beyond the project s original catchment area. Extension staff help support the new groups that have formed in Meru district, giving technical and animal health advice to a wider audience of dairy goat farmers. Effects on food production and productivity The project has succeeded in increasing both farmers means of food production and productivity in a variety of ways.

6 Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project 207 Expansion of livestock assets There has been a large increase in goat ownership since the start of the project. The goat stock in Meru has risen, with participating households average holdings increasing from 2.6 goats in 1997 to 6.8 in 2008, a rise of 162 per cent (Table 1). These figures are net of any goat sales during the period, and indicate that formerly resource-poor families now have productive assets that can help improve their livelihoods by providing them with both a source of food and income. As anticipated at project inception, private breeders have also benefited by adopting the goat model. An independent study undertaken in 2009 found incidences of non-project households successfully crossing local goats with exotic Toggenburg bucks. The average herd size of private breeders in Meru has grown from 1.9 goats in 1997 to 5.3 in As the ratio of project farmers to private breeders is 1:3, this demonstrates that many families outside of the project have also benefited from expanded livestock assets by utilizing the resources established by FARM-Africa s activities. Successful breeding of improved goats Participant farmers questioned in 2009 in Meru have recorded an average of 14.4 kids over 12 years, giving an average kidding rate of 1.2 kids per year in Meru (Table 2). There is some evidence to suggest that farmers may choose not to maximize the breeding rate of their goats as they have been impressed by the higher milk yields of the improved goats and the benefits of increased milk availability. These benefits are discussed further later in this paper. Growth of goat stock Based on the figures of 5,320 DGEs in Meru, it is estimated that 57,560 assorted cross-bred goats have been produced, with private DGEs alone accounting for over 40,000 goats (Table 3). Furthermore, 196 buck stations and 168 breeding units had been established Table 1 Comparison of goat ownership before and after the project Farmer category Meru (average herd size) % increase Participants Private breeders Non-participants Table 2 Total kidding for the Meru project Farmer category Total kids Net kids Growth rate Rate per goat Participants Private breeders Non-participants Table 3 Projected population of dairy goats under FARM-Africa-supported initiatives in Meru Category Total DGEs Per-capita cross-bred kids Total kids Participants 1, ,160 Private breeders 4, ,400 Total 5,320 57,560 as part of the Meru project by 2008, with an estimated 1,839 pure Toggenburgs bred to date as a result of the FARM-Africa project. This ensures the sustainability of the project by providing breeding stock for the future, and provides farmers with increased income and food supply through goat meat and milk. Increased milk production For all categories of breeders, milk yields are lowest among Galla goats, but improve significantly for F1s (F1: cross-bred goat; 1/2 local goat, 1/2 Toggenburg), and stabilize at 2.4 and 2.9 litres for 3/4-cross and pure Toggenburgs, respectively (Table 4). Both participants and private breeders average 2.4 litres per day for 3/4 Toggenburg goats, which represents a 600 per cent positive transformation in the milk productivity of DGEs in the area. Furthermore, the lactation length of cross-bred goats is significantly longer than that of local goats, with average lengths increasing from 70 days to 193 days as stock is improved. The current average annual milk yield is 21 litres for non-participants owning local goats and 463 litres for both project and private breeders owning 3/4-cross goats, which demonstrates that milk yields have increased by 2,200 per cent for farmers following the goat model. There is evidence that some farmers do not milk goats to their full potential because they prefer to leave kids ample milk to increase their growth rates, which enables them to be sold quickly. There were

7 208 C. Peacock and T. Hastings Table 4 Milk production figures in Meru Breeder category Galla goat F1 3/4 cross Pure Toggenburg Participants Private breeders Non-participants 0.3 limited milk marketing opportunities until a small milk processing plant was installed and a collection system developed, enabling farmers to sell fresh milk and yoghurt to retail outlets and Nairobi supermarkets, and creating the Caprinno brand of goat milk and associated products to enable better marketing. Social outcomes There have been a number of positive social impacts of the project, with both the target beneficiaries and the wider community benefiting from FARM-Africa s interventions. Improved nutrition Increased goat ownership and milk yields have improved nutrition of both goat owners and their communities, through better availability of meat and milk. Furthermore, the increased lactation length of cross-bred goats allows milk consumption for longer periods (averaging 193 days per annum). Goat milk is particularly beneficial to the young and the elderly, with several dairy goat farmers claiming that goat milk consumption has improved the health of their children or elderly family members. Photo 1 Female goat farmer in front of new house constructed using profits from dairy goat enterprise Henry Kaigambi, a dairy goat farmer in Meru, outlines the nutritional benefits he has experienced: Goat milk has brought health benefits to my household members, one, by giving enough milk for feeding. Two, by saving money which could be spent on milk to feed the family. Community employment As dairy goat farmers become better off, other members of the community benefit from increased employment opportunities, either directly relating to the DGEs or from spin-off activities. The CAHWs interviewed also mentioned the need to employ casual labourers to work on their farms while they are visiting clients (Olubayo, 2003). Increased social status of project participants Both participating dairy goat farmers and animal health workers trained as part of the projects have reported an elevated social standing since the projects began. Dairy goat farmers, particularly buck keepers and those running breeding stations, are consulted for advice and technical guidance by non-participants who wish to adopt the goat model. CAHWs are also respected due to their new expertise and empowered to take up positions of responsibility. This is seen in the MAHWG, where of the five elected official positions, in 2008 four were held by CAHWs and one by an AHA, whereas traditionally vets dominated such roles. Furthermore, 80 per cent of CAHWs in Meru district interviewed in 2008 had taken up additional positions of responsibility in their community since their training. This suggests that participation in the projects has increased the confidence of formerly low-status members of the community and has enabled them to participate more fully in community life. Female empowerment The project has helped raise the status of women by ensuring that they are included in the formation of farmers groups and represented in monitoring and evaluation surveys. Of the original group members, 61 per cent were women. Women s control of economic assets has been improved as generally women are responsible for milking goats and benefit from the income from milk sales. Additionally, there is evidence to indicate that improved family nutrition and better availability of milk and meat reduce women s domestic workload.

8 Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project 209 Responsibility for providing food and caring for the sick generally lies with women, so if food is more readily available and fewer family members fall ill due to better nutrition, women are likely to benefit from this more than men (Laker and Omore, 2004). Research and information creation Since the start of the Meru project, three PhDs have been written based on the experiences and results of the project. FARM-Africa has also produced extensive materials, including a policy brief paper and technical guidelines, which have been published to enable other NGOs, government departments and community-based organizations to follow the goat model and benefit from FARM-Africa s project learning and knowledge. Papers have been given by FARM-Africa staff at regional and international conferences, such as the International Goat Association in South Africa. Improved animal health In 2003, 60 per cent fewer diseases were recorded in the project area, and there is evidence of better surveillance and control of perennial illnesses such as Newcastle disease and anthrax. Whole communities, including non-participants in the project, benefit from better access to animal healthcare and drugs, with 75 per cent of treatments mentioned by farmers questioned in 2003 given to animals other than goats. Of the farmers questioned in a 2003 study, 73 per cent cited the availability of CAHWs and AHAs as a factor in reducing livestock disease. Vaccination programmes coordinated by CAHWs help prevent livestock diseases throughout the community, benefiting all residents by reducing the occurrence of preventable diseases (FARM-Africa, 2003). Environmental outcomes Housing goats provides easily collectable manure, which is used on farmers land. The surplus is sold to other farmers to provide additional income a 50kg bag of goat manure can be sold for Ksh Goat manure is cheaper and more readily available than chemical fertilizer; thus it gives smallholders an opportunity to fertilize their land and is especially valuable to vegetable and coffee crops. The dairy goat farmers interviewed have reported increased crop yields in areas where goat manure is used, indicating it has a positive effect on soil fertility. Housing goats also results in zero grazing, which can reduce soil erosion and protect vegetation that would previously have been eaten by goats. Special fodder crops are grown for goats on the edges of farmland. Over 200,000 leguminous trees, mainly Calliandra, have been planted, together with several miles of elephant grass strips on the edges of farmers fields to provide goat fodder. Scaling-up of the project technology Expansion of the project into drier locations FARM-Africa has developed the Kenya Dairy Goat and Capacity Building Project (the Mwingi project) in the Mwingi and Kitui districts of Kenya, with the aim of testing the Meru goat model in a more arid environment. The project was funded largely by the European Union with co-financing by a consortium of other donors. The Mwingi project was set in an environment of harsh agro-ecology; the Kitui and Mwingi districts lie at an altitude of m above sea level and much of the district falls within the agro-ecological zone LM4 and LM5. The climate is hot and dry for most of the year, and the area is considered semi-arid because rainfall is predominantly low, unreliable and erratic, averaging mm annually. Annual rainfall comes in two rainy seasons, with the long rains occurring between March and May and the short rains from October to December. The often erratic and poorly distributed rainfall is frequently separated by long dry spells in most areas, as was most recently experienced in The Kitui/Mwingi region therefore commonly experiences massive crop failures in both seasons. This results in food and fodder shortages, high food prices and water stress, which affect both households and their livestock. This presents a significantly more challenging environment in which to implement the goat model than Meru. Against the background of a community severely affected by drought, the Mwingi project was conceived as a way of reducing poverty and food-aid dependency in the five eastern Kenya divisions of Mwingi Central, Nuu and Ngomeni in Mwingi district and Kitui Central and Chuluni in Kitui district. As with the Meru project, the project targeted the poorest of the poor who were selected by the community, having been characterized by core poverty features. 2 Similarly to the Meru project, the Mwingi project used a community group approach in implementation. Beneficiary farmers were organized to form 21 dairy goat farmer groups, each comprising an average of 25 farmers, through which activities in establishment of buck stations and breeding stations, support to

9 210 C. Peacock and T. Hastings Table 5 Comparison of goat ownership before and after the project in Meru and Kitui/Mwingi Farmer category Kitui/Mwingi (average herd size) % increase Participants ,333 Private breeders Non-participants CAHWs, AHAs and private vets, development of small-scale water points and dissemination of best practices were delivered. As an entry point, each of the 521 farmers participating in the project was provided with two to three local Galla goats for crossbreeding with exotic pure Toggenburg bucks. Participants also underwent training on group dynamics, goat husbandry and other themes. Further into the project, as a measure to address water supply concerns, each farmer was advanced specific funding to contribute to the costs of digging a shallow well. Successes of the Mwingi project in 2009 The project has had a great impact in Kitui/Mwingi, where participating households owned virtually no Table 6 Milk production figures in Kitui/Mwingi Breeder category Galla goat F1 3/4 cross Pure Toggenburg Participants Private breeders Non-participants 0.2 goats at the start of the project and now each owns, on average, 10.3 goats (net of goat sales) an increase in goat stock of over 3,000 per cent (Table 5). Milk yields in Kitui/Mwingi have improved significantly for F1s when compared to Galla goat yields, suggesting that the technology is adaptable to this harsher environment (Table 6). The yields of pure Toggenburgs in Kitui/Mwingi (based on records at breeding stations) average 2.3l per day, which is lower than that recorded for both 3/4-cross- and purebred goats in Meru and implies that the arid and semiarid land ecology of Kitui/Mwingi may not be as conducive to pure breeds. However, the breeding of purebred Toggenburgs is still worthwhile because there is a great demand for them, and they are necessary to ensure a future supply of cross-bred goats. The case study in Box 1 attests to the success of the Mwingi project despite the more challenging conditions, and indicates its suitability to spread to other such areas. Conclusions The design of the project set out to ensure that all the key inputs needed in the long term were delivered by farmer-managed enterprises (breeding stock) or through private sector suppliers (veterinary services) recruited from the community. This would guarantee that at the end of the project farmers would have everything they needed to ensure the sustainability of all project interventions and would not be reliant on the government or any outside provider for any key inputs. This is the distinctive feature of this project and forms the basis of the design of the goat model. The growth of the number of DGEs since the withdrawal of FARM-Africa s support in Meru demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Box 1 Case study: Koki Safari, a dairy goat farmer and mother of three from Nuu division, Mwingi district A lot of changes have taken place since we begun the journey back in September I have been able to effectively manage the two local goats I received and through them I now own 8 cross-bred goats. I am now surprised by the turn of events since everyone wants the goats after I sold mine at Ksh 15,000. The community members have also realized the goats are growing very fast and are producing more milk than the local goats. My husband and children are very happy with the project. I have been hosting many people who come to see the goats, I have benefited from use of manure and the milk we get from the goats. Our social status has been on the rise within the village as we are now considered as a good example of those who have succeeded in rearing of dairy goats. Our economic status has also risen steadily. Imagine, my home compound including my house were valued at Ksh 16,000 before the project came; now within my compound, I have 12 pure Toggenburg goats with a value of Ksh 336,000 and 8 cross-bred goats valued at Ksh 120,000. The value has therefore risen from Ksh 16,000 to Ksh 471,000 within the short time the project has been with us! My children are now very happy! They know that they cannot drop out of school due to lack of school fees.

10 Meru dairy goat and animal healthcare project 211 Notes 1. The average household size in the project areas is six people. 2. Such features include owning less than half an acre of land that is unproductive; permanent casual labourer earning less than Ksh 45 per day; having only one donkey; having only two or three chickens; having children in employment as maids and/or herd boys; having a dilapidated grass-thatched mud house; having children who have dropped out of school; having more than 10 children. References FARM-Africa, 2003, Delivering Affordable and Quality Animal Health Services to Kenya s Rural Poor, FARM-Africa, Nairobi. Laker, C., Omore, A., 2004, Documentation of the Institutional and Technical Processes from the Meru Dairy Goat Breeding Programme, External Consultants Report, FARM-Africa, Nairobi. Olubayo, R., 2003, Impact Assessment Report of Meru and Tharaka-Nithi Dairy Goat and Animal Healthcare Project, External Consultant s Report, FARM-Africa, Nairobi. Peacock, C. P., 1996, Improving Goat Production in the Tropics. A Manual for Extension Workers. Oxfam/ FARM-Africa, Oxford. Peacock, C. P., 2005, Goats a pathway out of poverty, Small Ruminant Research 60(1 2),