Improving the well-being of poor farmers by developing milk production from local resources

Vietnam

06/1996 - 12/1997

The award winning project (TCP\VIE\6621 "Improving the wellbeing of poor farmers by developing milk production from local resources"), focused on goat milk production, collection, processing and marketing of cheese and was set up in collaboration with the Goat and Rabbit Research Centre, Son Tay, Hatay Province, Vietnam. Project activities were towards responding rapidly to market demands and opportunities in the form of goat cheese. This approach enabled the provision of a high rate of return to farmers for their milk and has resulted in the successful and sustainable operation of the enterprises started by the project.

The project approach was based on simple low-cost technologies and on training. It is worth noting that the main beneficiaries of the project were small-scale women farmers who not only carried out much of the work at farm level but who were and continue to be the processors and marketers of their high quality cheese. The project also attracted significant attention from other donors and the approach was replicated by IFAD and GTZ among others in the region.

The milk is collected daily by a centre financed by the beneficiary community. The centre produces goat cheese which is sold here in Hanoi in several shops and restaurants. Other donors (UK, GVC Italian NGO) have funded the replication of this project in a larger area (UK) or in other locations (GVC). Several national and international institutions (NGOs, Embassies, line Ministries) are visiting the project site to know about this experience. Most of the success is due to the dynamism of the national institution involved (Goat and Rabbit Research Centre) which has been able to optimise the TCP resources.