Constraints on smallholder market oriented dairy systems in the north eastern coastal region of Tanzania

Twenty five smallholder dairy farmers and other stakeholders, through a Participatory Rural Appraisal in three wards of the Tanga township of north east coastal Tanzania, ranked their perceived constraints in descending order of importance: Low milk price and marketing, feed shortage in the dry season, poor management, low animal productivity, poor reproductive performance and diseases. Tick borne diseases were reported on a majority of farms. An Economic Opportunity Survey revealed wide ranges in management indices and improvement in annual milk production, age at first calving and lactation length to represent the best potential for gain. Performance generally was below locally set targets. Farmers spent on average in the three wards between 39% and 77% of income from milk on feed costs yearly. Interventions were instituted emphasising those that farmers could afford immediately. They included farmer training, dry season feed supplementation, tick control, improvement of animal shed/house cleanliness and the formation of a cooperative for milk marketing. Partial budgeting is being used to monitor success. Follow-up meetings and regular visits to farms by field officers are disseminating information on outcomes to encourage farmers to continue with interventions and spread useful knowledge to friends and neighbours.