Development of smallholder dairying in Zanzibar

K. M. Biwi

Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources
P.O. Box 159, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Introduction
Infrastructure
Multilocational trials on grasses and legumes
Crop/livestock integration
On-farm research
Credit facilities
Response and current status
Future prospects
Conclusion
References

Summary The integration of dairying on 2-5 ha smallholdings has proved to be very profitable in Zanzibar and many farmers are striving to enter this business. A systematic approach which included trials of various forage grasses and legumes on-station demonstration of crop livestock integration on-station followed by on-farm research, appears to have created the necessary awareness and preparedness for the adoption of the dairy production technology. The rate of dissemination of the technology is high. Over 1000 smallholders keep crossbred or pure-bred dairy cattle in a semi-intensive or zero-grazing system. Of those who operate the zero-grazing system, some have become progressive farmers owning up to 10 dairy cattle instead of the usual two to five head of cattle. Average milk yield in the zero-grazing system is 8 kg/cow per day, with a maximum of 22 kg/cow per day. In the semi-intensive system average milk yield is 6 kg/cow per day with a maximum of 15 kg/cow per day. In both situations income has been adequate to sustain a farm family. With the increasing availability of credit to smallholders and the upsurge of tourism, the dairy enterprise appears to have a bright future.

Introduction

Policy changes from emphasis on state-owned dairy farms to smallholder dairy started in the early 1980s in Zanzibar. Since then, a systematic approach has been initiated to create awareness, disseminate knowledge and finally to advise smallholders on the basics and management of a dairy enterprise. Currently the increasing demand for milk is influenced by the expansion of tourist hotels and guest houses. In response to the demand for milk products, more smallholders are entering the business.

This paper discusses approaches to and present status and future prospects of dairying in Zanzibar.

Infrastructure

There has been a strong belief among local livestock keepers that crossbred and pure-bred animals, especially calves, are weaker than local zebu calves, in that the former often die of East Coast fever. Investigations by Juma and Shambwana (1985) confirm this belief. In order to reduce the disease risk, the Government has set up animal health and production centres in each district, 18 centres for dipping against ticks and one veterinary investigation centre. Above all, an effective disease control extension system has been established in which extension agents are assigned to targeted dairy smallholders.

Other infrastructure designed to assist the smallholders in dairy production include a livestock feed mill and heifer multiplication units. The multiplication units also serve as training centres for smallholders. These were established to control diseases, reduce mortalities and to transfer dairy technology packages.

Multilocational trials on grasses and legumes

The purpose of the multilocational trials was to test various forage legumes, grasses and browses for their adaptability and performance on different soil types and in various environments. These trials were supported by pot experiments to determine soil nutrient status and pinpoint any trace-element deficiencies. The pot experiments confirmed the good fertility of Kinongo soils; soils derived from limestones showed deficiencies in one or more of the trace elements, copper, zinc and manganese (Reynolds, 1981; Kayastha, 1982).

Forage grasses and legumes found suitable in multilocational trials included elephant grass, Guatemala grass, Signal grass, Paragrass, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Tropical Kudzu and Clitoria. After a thorough agronomic assessment of these grasses and legumes they were recommended for planting (Servoz, 1983).

Crop/livestock integration

As Zanzibar is a small country, zero-grazing was envisaged as being an efficient means of integrating crops and livestock. A study was made of an on-station model farm consisting of a farm family with two hectares of land growing food crops, forage grasses and legumes and keeping two or three dairy cattle and poultry. This examined whether the family could thrive using family labour and earnings from their crop harvest and livestock sales. The study also included the development of a technological package which emphasized utilisation of crop residues and kitchen waste for feeding dairy cattle. Good management of crops and livestock coupled with good records were seen as key elements. This study showed favourable economic returns (Table 1) (Biwi, 1987).

Table 1. Revenue and expenditure from a two hectare integrated farm at Kizimbani Station, Zanzibar

Year	Revenue	Expenditure	Profit
	(TSh)	(TSh)	(TSh)
1982/83	35,870.55	13,382.50	22,488.05
1983/84	111,750.35	14,006.90	97,774.35

Source: Biwi (1987)

The high profit margin shown in 1983/84 was influenced by the extra revenue from the sale of sugar-cane sticks grown on the farm. In addition, milk production was about three times that of the previous year and prices rose from TSh 4 to TSh 6 per litre. Sugar-cane tops were used to feed the dairy cattle. The breakdown of expenditure and sales are shown in Tables 2 and 3.

Table 2. Revenue and expenditure from a two-hectare crop-livestock integrated farm at Kizimbani, Zanzibar, 1982/83.

Year 1982/83	Unit	Price/unit (TSh)	Total cost (TSh)
Expenditure
Salary	1702 hrs	3/hr	5106.00
Tractor services	7.3 acres	220/acre	1608.00
Fertiliser	1479 kg	0.25/kg	389.75
Seeds	-	-	135.00
Insecticides	-	-	100.00
Cattle feed	2331.5 kg	0.50/kg	1165.75
Veterinary drugs	-	-	500.00
Payment of loan	-	-	2000.00
Payment interest on loan	-	-	2400.00
		Total	13,382.50
Income
Milk	2627.45 kg	4/kg	10,509.80
Bananas	1205.05 kg	1.50/kg	1608.25
Maize	11,450 cobs	1/cob	11,450.00
Cassava	5150 kg	1/kg	5150.00
Cow -peas	35 kg	7/kg	245.00
Sugar-cane	12,575 canes	0.50/cane	6287.50
Vegetables	-	-	420.00
		Total	38,870.55

US$ 1 =TSh 23 in 1982/83

Table 3. Revenue and expenditure from a two hectare integrated crop livestock farm at Kizimbani, Zanzibar, 1983/84.

Year 1982/83	Unit	Price/unit (TSh)	Total cost (TSh)
Expenditure
Salary	1552 hrs	3/hr	4658.00
Tractor services	1.24 acres	220/acne	272.00
Fertilizer	631.2 kg	0.25/kg	157.80
Seeds	27 kg	-	234.00
Insecticides	-	-	100.00
Veterinary drugs	-	-	600.00
Rope	-	-	500.00
Cattle ration
Copra cake	983 kg	0.50/kg	491.50
Cattle feed	1379 kg	2/kg	2758.00
Transport	-	-	4235.90
		Total	14,006.00
Income
Milk	6374.1	6/kg	50,244.60
Banana suckers	261 suckers	1/sucker	261.00
Banana	2341.5 kg	1.50/kg	3512.25
Make	4474 cobs	2/cob	8948.00
Cassava	7590 kg	1/kg	7590.00
Cow peas	10 kg	20/kg	200.00
Sugar cane	21825 canes	1.50/kg	32,737.50
Sate of cattle	-	7000/head	7000.00
Vegetables			1287.00
		Total	111,760.35

On-farm research

On-farm research was conducted to assess the acceptability of the technological package to farmers and their adoption of it. The target group was farmers owning two to five hectares of land and practicing an integrated crop-livestock farming system. This study involved 14 smallholder dairy farmers in Unguja and Pemba (Biwi, 1990). There was a good response in terms of adoption of the technological package.

Farmers were advised to feed their dairy cattle on elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum), Guatemala grass (Tripsacum laxum), Gliricidia septum, Leucaena leucocephala and banana stems, au grown on the farm, and homemade concentrate (one part coconut cake and three parts rice bran with molasses). Milk yields were monitored; milk yields and fat-corrected milk yield for Unguja were 1940 kg/cow per lactation and 2166 kg/cow per lactation, respectively. These yields were similar to those found in Pemba. Most of the cattle in Unguja were Jerseys, while those in Pemba were of Sahiwal composite. These levels of production were satisfactory.

Artificial Insemination (AI) was used on-farm. The number of inseminations per conception was 2 and 3.4 for Unguja and Pemba, respectively. Calving intervals were 13.1 months and 14.3 months for Unguja and Pemba, respectively. The poorer reproductive performance in Pemba could be attributed to genetic and environmental effects and their interactions. However, on the whole the calving intervals are quite acceptable for tropical conditions.

East Coast fever was more prevalent in Pemba than in Unguja, suggesting a low adoption rate of tick-control measures in Pemba. Probably the major constraint was the high cost of acaricides, which led to misuse of the drug.

Credit facilities

During the on-farm research one of the major constraints found was the lack of finance. Cattle sheds, foundation animals and drugs were too expensive for smallholders. To overcome this constraint, a credit scheme was initiated with some assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP). The smallholder livestock project in Pemba, funded by the Irish Government, also assisted in providing credit to farmers in Pemba. The credits improve the capital base of smallholder dairy farmers.

Response and current status

In Pemba alone, over 500 smallholders are engaged in dairying at various levels of intensity. Thirty-five farmers are practicing zero-grazing. The others have adopted a semi-intensive system in which animals are tethered during the day and stall-fed cut fodder and kitchen waste at night. All these farmers grow fodder crops. In Unguja, 45 farmers practice zero-grazing and about 460 are using the semi-intensive production system.

The average milk yield in the intensive system is 8 kg/cow per day while in the semi-intensive system it is 6 kg/cow per day (Diwani, 1991). Maximum daily yield recorded in the intensive system was 22 kg/cow per day and in the semi-intensive was 15 kg/cow per day. The majority of the cattle kept in the semi-intensive system are F1 crossbreds, mostly indigenous zebu with Jersey.

Of the 80 dairy farmers practicing the zero-grazing system in Ungula and Pemba, three are already developing into progressive farmers owning more than 10 milking cows. The three sell their excess heifers to emerging smallholders.

East Coast fever, which is the major killer disease of improved dairy cattle, has been tackled by strategic dipping with acaricides and immunisation against the disease. Effective disease control measures have minimised the disease risk and encouraged farmers to undertake dairying. This has been achieved through close collaboration between researchers and extension agents.

Future prospects

The tourism industry in Zanzibar has increased the demand for milk. As a result there has been a surge in the prices of milk and milk products. A litre of milk now sells for between TSh 120 and TSh 150 (US$ 1 = TSh 400 at the Bureau de Change, 1992 rates). A kilogram of butter sells at TSh 1600 (US$ 4), 250 g of yoghurt sells for TSh 50 (US$ 0.13). These prices are attractive and an incentive to farmers. This development has, in part, been a consequence of the Government policy to liberalise milk prices. Incomes from the dairy enterprises have risen and farmers have realised the benefits of keeping dairy cattle and its contribution to the improvement of the welfare of smallholder farmer.

Conclusion

Awareness of smallholder dairying as part of the farming system has been developed. Indications are that the integrated crop-livestock system is profitable and can enhance the welfare of farm families Efforts to contain cattle diseases, particularly East Coast fever, to transfer technologies to farmers and to provide credit facilities all seem to have worked well in developing the dairy enterprise. The future appears bright.

References

Biwi K M. 1987. Strategies for improving the traditional livestock sector in Zanzibar. In: Proceedings of the 14th scientific conference of the Tanzania Society of Animal Production, Arusha International Conference Centre, December 1987. pp. 214-229.

Biwi K M. 1990. Forage and crop by-product utilization: Preliminary results on farmers' adoption with lactating dairy cows. In: PANESA/ARNAB (Pastures Network for Eastern and Southern Africa/African Research Network for Agricultural By-products), Utilization of research results on forage and agricultural by-products materials as animal feed in Africa. Proceedings of the first joint workshop held in Lilongwe, Malawi, 5-9 December 1988. PANESA/ARNAB, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. pp. 104-113.

Diwani A M. 1991. A three month report April-June 1991. Department of Livestock Development, Zanzibar. Unpublished report.

Juma O A and Shambwana I. 1985. Theileriosis in Zanzibar. In: Irvin A D (ed), Proceedings of a joint workshop on immunization against theileriosis in Africa. pp. 45-47

Kayastha A K. 1982. Technical report on pot trials carried out on soils from Tunguu, Maweni and Kizimbani. Report prepared for the Government of Zanzibar by FAO/UNDP. Working Paper 2. FAO/UNDP Project URT/81/017.

Reynolds S G. 1981. Pasture improvement activities. Technical Report 1. FAO/UNDP Project URT/ 78/028.61 pp.

Servoz H M. 1983. Consultancy in pasture agronomy. Report prepared for the Government of Zanzibar. FAO/UNDP Project URT/81/017.