Quarterly Progress Report: Dairy Project

The project is a joint effort of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Dairy and Rural Development Foundation (DRDF), and Nestle Pakistan. The project provided training to 31,011 dairy farmers, including 492 farm managers and commercial dairy farmers, in best dairy farm practices to help them increase milk productivity, which will eventually lead to an increase in their income. Quality dairy extension services were not available to farmers in the area. In order to bridge the gap, the project provided training to 2,168 rural, unemployed young men as Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs) and 5,556 rural, unemployed young women as Women Livestock Extension Workers (WLEWs) to assist dairy farmers with quality extension services. Once the AITs and WLEWs are trained and certified by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, the Dairy Project helps in establishing them as entrepreneurs by providing them with startup kits. In the reporting period, the project trained 221 WLEWs and established them as intent entrepreneurs while 142 already trained WLEWs were provided refresher classes. The Dairy Project extended its AI-training to 6 months in compliance with breeding policy. A total of 68 AITs are undertraining at Burj-Attari and Bahawalpur training centers and 70 AITs are in field at various large farms for their three months apprenticeship. A survey conducted by the M&E team in October 2015 shows the performance of AITs, WLEWs, and farmers who were trained in year-4. The focus of the survey was on the performance of newly established entrepreneurs (AITs and WLEWs) and farmers who received awareness training. According to the survey findings, AITs monthly average income is PKR 5,672 and WLEWs monthly average income is PKR 1,032. There is a substantial increase in income of WLEWs who received the refresher course. On average, they are earning PKR 2,475 per month. The project launched its mass awareness mobile float campaign with the name "Dairy Laway Khushian de Dheri (Dairy brings happiness to your life)" in which messages on the best dairy farming practices were spread out at a mass level through street shows and theatre. 28 street shows were conducted in the vicinity of up-graded farms in both zones Vehari and Bahawalpur in Aug-Sep, 2015. This activity not only helped to spread awareness on dairy farming in rural traditional farmers but also leveraged the mobilization for one-day training. A total of 12,711 farmers participated in 28 shows. The project has achieved significant milestones in the reporting quarter. The total number of beneficiaries has increased to 39,225, with 31,011 farmers, 2,168 AITs, 5,556 WLEWs, and 221 R-WLEWs. The adoption of three or more than three best dairy farming practices is 75%. Farm-upgradation on cost-sharing basis is continued in this quarter, and until now, the project has completed up-gradation of 40 farms while 30 farms are in different phases of up-gradation. Farmers' training and access to extension services have resulted in an increase in 8.1% milk productivity of the farmers, including the farmers who received one-day awareness training. The project has also made significant progress in terms of financials. The total estimated USAID amount is $21,018,293, and the amount obligated is $20,918,293. The leverage amount (non-federal) is $5,108,059, and the total project funds expended to date (end of Sep-2015) is $16,980,929. The project funds expended during the reporting quarter (July-Sep 2015) is $921,848, and the obligated project funds remaining available is $4,037,364. The project funds allocated for the next quarter (Oct-Dec, 2015) is $1,066,339.