Ripple Effect Rwanda launches Ongera Amata: “Increase the milk”
Written by Donna Akariza Ajambo, Program Funding Manager, Rwanda.
This project comes in to address challenges faced by pastoral SME and smallholder dairy farmers who are mostly producing below average yields due to traditional dairy farming practices, limited knowledge of improved dairy farming practices, unproductive cow genetics, poor supplementary feeding and nutrition, among other things.
Ongera Amata project intends to work with pastoral ‘SME’ dairy farmers who have the potential to expand production and improve performance, and smallholder farmers who will have the potential to expand dairy cow numbers. The targets to capacitate dairy farmers to increase their milk production, while building dairy farmers’ resilience to future climatic shocks through the promotion of climate smart agricultural practices and techniques alongside agroforestry and efforts to improve soil quality and fertility.
When will the project start
The project was awarded in December 2023 to support small-medium enterprise and smallholder dairy farmers in Gatsibo and Nyagatare district found in Eastern province of Rwanda. Initial site selection and validation has been done and participants registration is ongoing. The next steps will be to conduct a baseline survey to establish the status of project participants scientifically against set indicators for future evidence-based tracking of impact.
Who has funded the project?
Jersey Oversea Aid (JOA) has provided a substantial amount to its partners. Through RJAHS, the consortium lead, Ripple Effect will receive 838,000 over the next 3 years. This funding will support 4,863 dairy farmers of which 83% (4,036) are pastoral SME dairy farmers who have the potential to expand production and improve performance, and 17% (827) smallholder dairy farmers who have potential to increase their cow numbers.
Ripple Effect has received funding from JOA since 2017 through the Dairy for Development programme. The 2 initial project were funded by JOA through RJAHS and the 3rd project, Zikamwa is currently phasing out in June 2024.
Collaboration with RJAHS and ICRAF
The project will be implemented in collaboration with RJAHS whose role is supervisory and supports the project with genetic improvement outcomes, Ripple Effect will build the capacity of project participants to increase milk production through improve animal management knowledge and skills while ensuring integrating agroecological climate positive approaches. ICRAF (World Agroforestry) is the environment partner who will ensure capacity building and provision of improved drought resistant fodder and agroforestry tree species. The Dairy group UK will provide technical assistance to Ripple Effect with regards to improving milk quality outcomes.
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