In Awala Madugu Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Naja’atu Isa Sherrif and other women in her community participated in the modern dairy production training organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in partnership with Sebore Farms International.
Sharing the impact of the training Naja’atu stated that they have improved their record-keeping, hygiene and milk-handling processes after the training program. Also, the training according to her provided them with linkage to Sebore Farms which offtakes the milk for the production of yoghurt and other by-products of the company. At the end of the training program, Naja’atu and nine other women were registered as the Awala Women Cooperative, alongside other participants grouped into various cooperatives. The cooperatives received hybrid cows, which will boost their daily milk production, sales and profit. Before the training, Naja’atu and the women produced 15 litres of milk per day from 5 cows. With the introduction of improved feed and hybrid cows, they now produce 20 litres of milk a day, an increase of 5 litres with the addition of the hybrid cow, resulting in a better income for the members.
“Our milk is now produced in a more hygienic environment. We sanitize the milking area using clean containers and practices. The skills we learned in handling the cow will increase our milk supply daily and we will do our best to take care of the cows” she stated. As the chairperson of Awala Women Cooperative, Naja’atu’s vision goes beyond mere care; it entails a commitment to excellence in dairy farming.
To ensure the success of the cooperative and their respective ventures, they emphasized their plan to run a transparent financial system to guarantee accountability among members. This includes a ledger to document the contributions made by members, thereby fostering a sense of responsibility and openness. They would also appoint trusted personnel to oversee the well-being of the cows, including feeding and diligent monitoring of the animals.
The Awala Women Cooperative is adopting best practices and leveraging collective efforts to improve their livelihoods while contributing to milk production in Adamawa State.
