“Empowered by Farmer Field Schools under DeSIRA, a livestock farmer turns knowledge into prosperity for his family and community”

In the rolling hills of Rwanda, livestock farming has long been a way of life for generations. For Elias Mugabowakigeli, aged 61 years and father of four children, rearing traditional cattle was a skill he inherited from his family. “I grew up in a home where cows were everything. We practiced farming the way our parents and grandparents did,” he recalls.

Yet, despite the deep cultural pride, traditional methods offered limited returns. Cows grazed for hours on poor pastures, milk production barely met household needs, and Elias could not imagine today he would be able to supply milk to the local dairy cooperative.

Knowledge that changed everything.

Elias’ turning point came when he joined the farmer field school (“Iyamu” as locally known in Rwanda) group introduced under the EU funded DeSIRA project, implemented by FAO in partnership with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), the University of Rwanda (UR), and École Internationale Supérieure d’Agro Développement International (ISTOM). Through practical training, he was introduced to modern livestock management techniques, including improved feeding, pasture establishment, and animal health care.

“They showed us how to plant and manage improved pasture, and how to feed cows properly by mixing cereals and grass (formulated balanced rations using grasses with cereal-based supplement). Today, I can produce more from a small piece of land than I ever thought possible,” Elias explains.

Instead of spending entire days moving animals in search of scarce pasture, Elias now harvests quality fodder directly from his own plots. His cows eat well, rest, and give more milk.

Figure 1: Elias harvests improved pasture to feed his cows. Training from the DeSIRA project taught him how to maximize production from a small plot of land. ©FAO/Nkurunziza Jean Baptiste

From household consumption to market supply

Before the training, Elias’s daily milk production was only sufficient for his family’s daily use. At that time, the cows yielded only 16 to 18 liters per day. Today, he proudly delivers around 35 liters of milk daily to the local cooperative, even during the dry season.

He has also seen his income grow substantially. Before joining the program, his monthly income was around RWF 45,000 monthly (RWF 540,000 per year). Today, with steady milk sales, his earnings have improved to about RWF 180,000 monthly (RWF 2,160,000 per year), a fourfold increase that has transformed his household’s wellbeing.

He has mastered practices ensuring milk quality and consistency, which boosts both his income and reputation in the community. “Because of what I learned from DeSIRA, I am not only producing more milk but producing better milk,” he says.

Figure 2: Elias milks his cow in the morning. He now delivers 35 litres of milk daily to the local cooperative, even in the dry season. ©FAO/Nkurunziza Jean Baptiste

Improving lives beyond the farm

The impact of this transformation reaches far beyond the cowshed. With increased income, Elias has invested in a proper house, a motorcycle, improved breeds of cows, and pasture fields.

“Looking back, I see how far I’ve come. This project gave me confidence and hope for the future,” he reflects.

Importantly, Elias is not keeping the knowledge to himself. As a community facilitator, he is training 26 other farmers in his area. Among them are seven women and youth farmers whom he mentors directly. Women are also actively involved in both the cooperative and household decision-making, ensuring the benefits of dairy farming are shared more equitably within families.

“We want everyone to benefit, so we pass on what we’ve learned. When we all develop together, our community becomes stronger,” he says.

Figure 3: Standing proudly in front of his new home, Elias reflects on how dairy farming has transformed his family’s living conditions. ©FAO/Nkurunziza Jean Baptiste

Figure 4: Standing proudly in front of his new home, Elias reflects on how dairy farming has transformed his family’s living conditions. ©FAO/Nkurunziza Jean Baptiste

Scaling up impact

Elias’ story is one among many showing how knowledge is the foundation of rural transformation. Looking ahead, he plans to add more improved cow breeds, expand the use of artificial insemination, and plant different varieties of grasses across an additional one-hectare field to sustain fodder supply year-round.

Through DeSIRA, smallholder farmers are shifting from low yield traditional systems to sustainable, market-oriented livestock farming. The project is not only improving productivity, but also changing lives, strengthening cooperatives, and building resilient food systems for the future.

About the DeSIRA Project

The Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation in Rwanda (CDI DeSIRA) project is a five-year initiative (2021 to 2025) funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO in collaboration with RAB, UR, and ISTOM. The project promotes climate smart agriculture through Agricultural Innovation Partnerships (AIPs) and farmer field schools (FFS) across high potential value chains in six districts of Burera, Rutsiro, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Bugesera, and Ruhango. Building on proven technologies and lessons learned, DeSIRA strengthens farmer capacities, addresses challenges linked to climate change, low productivity, and weak market linkages. Through training and backstopping of farmer facilitators, the project ensures that knowledge and innovations are shared widely, enabling smallholder farmers like Elias to thrive.