The authors wish to thank the Malawi Government for giving permission for this joint study. Special thanks are due Dr Sam Kamvazina, Chief Veterinary Officer and Head of Animal Health and Industry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi, for the interest he showed in the study and also for allowing the second author, Mr Lidie Nkhonjera, to work with ILCA on the study for a 3-month period.
Several people and organisations have contributed to the development of the smallholder dairy scheme in Malawi. The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the executing agency of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which initiated the dairy programme, and Drs Cleave Allan and D. Vandiek, Mr J. Kristenssen and Mr Peter Frank, all of FAO, for their work in planning, establishing and running the programme in the early years. The efforts of these people could not have succeeded were it not for the support of various government ministries and departments. The authors wish to acknowledge the Department of Agriculture in Malawi for providing extension personnel and training facilities; the Department of Animal Health and Industry for providing dairy cows, insemination and marketing services, veterinary services and personnel; and the Department of Agricultural Research for providing basic information and data on the management of dairy cows.
The financial contributions of ILCA's Training Committee and the Highlands Programme in Ethiopia, and the personal involvement of Drs Frank Anderson, Martyn Butterworth and John Trail are gratefully acknowledged. The assistance of the staff of ILCA's Computer Unit, especially Mr Jeffrey Durkin and W/z Almaz Teklesenbet, are also acknowledged.
