Mukampunga Laurence, feeding one of her cows. She is benefiting from FAO's project. Photo credit: Mutesi Teopista

Gicumbi District, Rwanda: Mukampunga Laurence looks young than her age. Every day is a new day with an exciting experience. She has a visibly clean and tidy homestead. Although a widow,  this mother of 6 children is a respected member of her village in Shangasha sector, Gicumbi district. Her only source of income is farming – dairy farming to be specific. She keeps two jersey cows which give her about 30 litres of milk per day. She depends on dairy production for income. She supplies 22 litres every day, while she reserves the remaining litres for home consumption. 

This dairy farmer who has been supplying the milk production to a nearest Milk Collection Center (MCC) managed by their dairy farmers umbrella Co-operative IAKIB, says, income generated from milk sales has transformed her life.

Mukampunga having been widowed in 2002  is a good example of the women’s potential to contribute to the improved welfare of their families and to the development of the country.

Through the business, she has managed to take her children to school, build a new house and expand to engage in tea farming.

Mukampunga was one of the beneficiaries of FAO’s training workshop on ‘Gender equality in dairy farming, cooperative and enterprise development’ for women diary producers in Gicumbi district in February this year. They received training on how to add value to their milk produce to increase productivity, as well as empowering them with entrepreneurship skills in diary commercialisation.

New mindset

Like in other countries, Women farmers and entrepreneurs in Rwanda face higher entry barriers than men in most value chains, mainly because they have less access to productive inputs and resources.

Mukampunga says the training helped her to change and embrace new practises of improving her activity, and she is optimistic that milk production will increase many fold. She was even motivated to increase dairy cows from the current two. 

One immediate impact of the training, the 62 years old she says she understood that she is capable to do anything a male can do.

“I don't have to wait for the herdsmen to milk my cows. When they are not on duty I do it myself”, she says

So determined to make a positive impact on the society; she now looks to adding value to the milk to produce butter or yoghurt, and ghee to supply processing plants. With a daily income of about Rwfr200,000 (approx. $230) Mukampunga dreams to achieve big things in life.

Her business offers jobs opportunities to the youth in her areas. Currently she employees eight permanent workers and two casual laborers.

Like Mukampunga when women continue to gain entrepreneurship skills, they transform their socio-economic status, thus contributing to the development of rural economies and improve households’ food security.

Contact: [email protected] | Communications Officer