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DSP: the e-extension app for small-scale livestock farmers

©FAO/Marco Palombi

Introduction FAO’s Digital Service Portfolio app empowers small-scale dairy farmers with expert guidance, market insights, and a free feed balancing tool to boost yields, cut costs, and lower emissions. By equipping local associations to manage the app, this initiative ensures sustainable, transformative support for rural dairy farming.
Country Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan
Start date 21/12/2020
End date 31/12/2023
Status Closed
Objective / Goal

The FAO’s Digital Service Portfolio e-extension app, if managed properly managed by private sector industry associations, , has the potential to transform rural dairy farming.  Small-scale dairy farmers often lack access to reliable knowledge, relying instead on input providers or receiving no guidance at all due to ineffective national extension systems. High feed costs (which account for up to 70% of milk production expenses) and/or poor input quality, contribute to low milk yields as a result of undernourishment and/or unbalanced provision of nutrients.

The DSP app addresses these challenges by:

  • Delivering impartial, quality knowledge directly to farmers to boost resilience and reduce emissions while increasing profitability.
  • Providing accurate marketplace information, enabling farmers to purchase inputs and sell produce more effectively.
  • Offering a groundbreaking free animal feed ration balancing tool (developed with EBRD support), which helps farmers improve milk yields, optimize costs, and reduce emission intensity.
Partners The project engaged with the private sector industry associations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia. After receiving training and mentoring from FAO staff, these associations now autonomously deliver impartial knowledge and information to farmers, ensuring sustainability beyond the project’s duration.
Beneficiaries The primary beneficiaries are small-scale dairy farmers in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia. The entire dairy industry also benefits from increased domestic production of fresh milk.
Activities

Key activities for the app's deployment included:

  • Selecting suitable administrators to manage the app.
  • Preparing "knowledge pills" tailored to farmers' needs.
  • Running a robust marketing campaign to promote the app.
Impact

Achievements to date:

  • Dairy associations in the three countries are now equipped to run the e-extension app independently.
  • The app was launched on the Google Play Store a few months ago. While it is too early to measure farm-level impact, systems are in place to assess productivity gains and emission reductions from 2025.


As the app reaches more farmers, it is expected to:

  • Integrate smallholders more effectively into corporate value chains.
  • Increase profitability for dairy farms.
  • Reduce the environmental footprint of dairy farming.
  • Enhance the competitiveness of the dairy industry.
  • Foster more balanced rural-urban development.
Contact [email protected]
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