On the Milky Way to South Hebron, Phase 2: Establishment of a network between small bedouin farmers from Masafer Yatta and the dairy Al-Mentar Cooperative in Yatta City in the Hebron District, West Bank
Status: Being implemented (starting March 2011)
Funding awarded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Funding awarded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Project is located in the southern Hebron hills, in an area called Masafer Yatta, where small population of several thousand Palestinian farmers and shepherds live in shanty-like villages composed of caves and tents. This is a very traditional group subsisting on non-mechanized agriculture and herding, deeply rooted in the land.
The life of local farmers is still closely connected to the breeding of animals and the sale of meat and domestic dairy products. For many families this is the only way to generate income. In spite of the big producing potential of their herds, due to the lack of essential resources (such as a water and fodder) and basic infrastructure (such as electricity connection necessary for proper production storing) the local flocks constantly decrease.
Until recently small subsistence farmers from that region could produce dairy products only at home. They used for that traditional, almost “biblical" technologies and tried to sell them in a not-formalized way on the local market.
The poor standards for milking, collection, and home processing applied by the farmers increase the chance of milk contamination and reduce the milk quality thus resulting in an increased public health risk. In the past, contaminated dairy products had in the past contributed to the spread of zoonotic diseases among the consumers. It is also why also the local dairy market has a limited interest in offering homemade dairy products. It is the result of the luck of trust for the quality of production which has also a strong impact on obtained prices.
During a realization of the last-year project in 2010, the PCPM created a co-working network, within the frames of which a milk collection center was founded in one of the villages, where milk from local farmers is collected in controlled and hygienic conditions. Then it is sold to a small dairy factory run by another cooperatives of local breeders. In a process of collecting, the milk is cooled, and then pasteurized before production, so the products are safe for consumers. In that way, the shepherd gained stable incomes form selling the milk directly to the cooperatives. To increase a working level of livestock farm and milk quantity and quality a cycle of training was carried-out. Infrastructure of the farms was also improved. The dairy production cooperative was equipped with additional producing machines. We also took care of improving of sales of the new products on the local dairy market.
Few months of assisting and first of all co-working with our beneficiaries in changing a way of organizing their husbandries gave us a lot of observations. We were trying to find in that already-existing and bringing the first positive results structure it’s the weakest and the most problematic points which, in the future, could disturb a stability of that fresh system.
The most burning problem of breeders from that region is a law amount of precipitation, and constant growing of prices of fodder. Their pasturages, formerly lush, now ensure a possibility of free grassing only for few months (2-3). During the rest of the months the breeders are forced to invest big amounts in dry fodders. Their expenditures are growing month by month due to serious price fluctuations on the world’s corn market and consequences of the global crisis.
The above-mentioned processes lead to a constant luck of fodder which effects immediately animals’ health (lowering of amount of animals in droves), and a frequency (length of “dry” months), a quantity, and a quality of received milk. The animals get too little and too poor food which does not give them a sufficient amount of nutritious substances.
In response to that problem, within the frames of 2011 project, we will attempt to inculcate among the local farmers an idea of applying silage and high-quality TMR (Total Mixed Ration) mixtures which, after mixing with poor fodders, used until now, would create mixture sufficient for animals’ needs. Its price is similar to feeding method applied before.
To encourage the breeders to use the new feeding technology, when a financial aspect will be not so motivating, we will carry out distribution of that kind of fodder. In that way the farmers will ascertain by themselves about its effects on prosperity of their husbandries.
The fodder will be distributed in months when there is the biggest shortage and the highest prices of it.
Within the frames of the project we will attempt to improve infrastructure of the farms introducing new types of dividing enclosure for animals. In the last year we made a few models of them. That aroused great interest.
We will also introduce drinking-through, instruments limiting water feeding for preventing against water wasting which is essential when it have to be delivered from other places and its price is very high.
Each farmer will receive 25 kg of powder milk for lambs instead of mother’s milk. It will cause a higher amount of received milk and prevent against very dangerous udders’ illnesses.
Within the frames of the project 360 field visits of a veterinary and a livestock engineer will be carried out. They will monitor both the animal’s health conditions and changes of working organization.
The educational component of the project will be addressed to various groups of persons.
In this year we intend to train the farmers and workers of the dairy production cooperative. The knowledge will be conveyed during trainings and workshops and demonstrating visits on farms in various parts of region.
The project assumes also improving of a quality of dairy products produced and offered by the dairy production cooperative. A new technology of vacuum packing will be implemented. It will be carried-out also a promotion campaign.
Within the frames of the project, other expenditures connected with purchasing the equipment and tools, salary for the personnel, trainings, workshops, field visits, seminars, consultations, promotion campaign and other cost of the project will be covered.
Project started in March 2011 and is implemented in strong cooperation with Palestinian Livehood Cooperatives Union- local partner of PCPM.
Grant of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Implementation of the project has been made possible thanks to the generous donation of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the amount of 335 306 PLN (USD 120,000 approx.)
The life of local farmers is still closely connected to the breeding of animals and the sale of meat and domestic dairy products. For many families this is the only way to generate income. In spite of the big producing potential of their herds, due to the lack of essential resources (such as a water and fodder) and basic infrastructure (such as electricity connection necessary for proper production storing) the local flocks constantly decrease.
Until recently small subsistence farmers from that region could produce dairy products only at home. They used for that traditional, almost “biblical" technologies and tried to sell them in a not-formalized way on the local market.
The poor standards for milking, collection, and home processing applied by the farmers increase the chance of milk contamination and reduce the milk quality thus resulting in an increased public health risk. In the past, contaminated dairy products had in the past contributed to the spread of zoonotic diseases among the consumers. It is also why also the local dairy market has a limited interest in offering homemade dairy products. It is the result of the luck of trust for the quality of production which has also a strong impact on obtained prices.
During a realization of the last-year project in 2010, the PCPM created a co-working network, within the frames of which a milk collection center was founded in one of the villages, where milk from local farmers is collected in controlled and hygienic conditions. Then it is sold to a small dairy factory run by another cooperatives of local breeders. In a process of collecting, the milk is cooled, and then pasteurized before production, so the products are safe for consumers. In that way, the shepherd gained stable incomes form selling the milk directly to the cooperatives. To increase a working level of livestock farm and milk quantity and quality a cycle of training was carried-out. Infrastructure of the farms was also improved. The dairy production cooperative was equipped with additional producing machines. We also took care of improving of sales of the new products on the local dairy market.
Few months of assisting and first of all co-working with our beneficiaries in changing a way of organizing their husbandries gave us a lot of observations. We were trying to find in that already-existing and bringing the first positive results structure it’s the weakest and the most problematic points which, in the future, could disturb a stability of that fresh system.
The most burning problem of breeders from that region is a law amount of precipitation, and constant growing of prices of fodder. Their pasturages, formerly lush, now ensure a possibility of free grassing only for few months (2-3). During the rest of the months the breeders are forced to invest big amounts in dry fodders. Their expenditures are growing month by month due to serious price fluctuations on the world’s corn market and consequences of the global crisis.
The above-mentioned processes lead to a constant luck of fodder which effects immediately animals’ health (lowering of amount of animals in droves), and a frequency (length of “dry” months), a quantity, and a quality of received milk. The animals get too little and too poor food which does not give them a sufficient amount of nutritious substances.
In response to that problem, within the frames of 2011 project, we will attempt to inculcate among the local farmers an idea of applying silage and high-quality TMR (Total Mixed Ration) mixtures which, after mixing with poor fodders, used until now, would create mixture sufficient for animals’ needs. Its price is similar to feeding method applied before.
To encourage the breeders to use the new feeding technology, when a financial aspect will be not so motivating, we will carry out distribution of that kind of fodder. In that way the farmers will ascertain by themselves about its effects on prosperity of their husbandries.
The fodder will be distributed in months when there is the biggest shortage and the highest prices of it.
Within the frames of the project we will attempt to improve infrastructure of the farms introducing new types of dividing enclosure for animals. In the last year we made a few models of them. That aroused great interest.
We will also introduce drinking-through, instruments limiting water feeding for preventing against water wasting which is essential when it have to be delivered from other places and its price is very high.
Each farmer will receive 25 kg of powder milk for lambs instead of mother’s milk. It will cause a higher amount of received milk and prevent against very dangerous udders’ illnesses.
Within the frames of the project 360 field visits of a veterinary and a livestock engineer will be carried out. They will monitor both the animal’s health conditions and changes of working organization.
The educational component of the project will be addressed to various groups of persons.
In this year we intend to train the farmers and workers of the dairy production cooperative. The knowledge will be conveyed during trainings and workshops and demonstrating visits on farms in various parts of region.
The project assumes also improving of a quality of dairy products produced and offered by the dairy production cooperative. A new technology of vacuum packing will be implemented. It will be carried-out also a promotion campaign.
Within the frames of the project, other expenditures connected with purchasing the equipment and tools, salary for the personnel, trainings, workshops, field visits, seminars, consultations, promotion campaign and other cost of the project will be covered.
Project started in March 2011 and is implemented in strong cooperation with Palestinian Livehood Cooperatives Union- local partner of PCPM.
Grant of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Implementation of the project has been made possible thanks to the generous donation of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the amount of 335 306 PLN (USD 120,000 approx.)
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