Over the past two weeks, our team has spent time with farmers on their land. This close interaction and the subsequent data collection have revealed the significant challenges they currently face. The farmers mainly depend on farming to provide for their families, a crucial question arises, in the era of climate change can agriculture remain a sustainable livelihood for them?
One seasoned farmer reminisced about their childhood, recalling a time when farms flourished with healthy crops year-round, consistently yielding abundant harvests. However, as the years have passed, these farmers have witnessed a gradual decline in their yields. Now, the margin between profitability and loss after harvest has become alarmingly thin. In fact, many farmers admit their reluctance to keep farm records, fearing the disheartening reality of potential losses, especially when they perceive no alternative. This begs the question, is crop farming truly their only option?
The many challenges that farmers have starting from degraded soils, low productivity, high cost of farm inputs, changing weather patterns, lack of resources and lack of certified seeds. We can all understand that all these challenges can be frustrating. Putting in your resources and effort ,then getting so little at the end of the day can be demoralizing and even more frustrating when farmers realize this has been their primary source of livelihood.
Beyond crop cultivation, the farmers have also voiced concerns regarding dairy production, specifically citing challenges related to feeding costs and low milk output. Consequently, many do not view dairy farming as a viable alternative, fearing further disappointment. However, 3E Organization believes there is significant potential in the dairy sector. Through a series of training sessions and careful cost-of-production analyses, we’ve identified an opportunity to transform the lives of these farmers for the better. The fear surrounding dairy production often stems from a lack of knowledge regarding effective strategies to convert it into a high-income generating activity.
At 3E, our vision is a future where agriculture empowers rural communities. Our focused efforts in dairy production have already yielded positive results, demonstrated by a 39.41% increase in milk production among participating farmers. We are confident that through comprehensive training in fodder establishment, fodder conservation, dairy production and management, coupled with consistent farm visits and expert advice, we can achieve a future where dairy production isn’t just for prestige but rather a high-income activity for households that can transform livelihoods for rural communities.
