In the News

Thyolo District Council and Heifer International will partner to promote dairy farming which has been identified as an alternative source of income as there is little land for cultivation to carter for growing population in the district.

About 70 women in Chief Hanjalika’s area in Mazabuka district have benefited from the ‘Passing on the gift’ project being implemented by Heifer International Zambia (HIZ).

“I wanted to do something that would have a huge impact,” the 17-year-old senior said. “I did some research and found Heifer International. It focuses on third-world [areas] like Africa and Haiti. They have a pay-it-forward program, which I liked. They use the donations to buy animals like goats. The goats can feed a family, and then the goat can have babies and feed another family, so one animal can feed many families.”

Small-scale farmers often struggle because they have few resources and only limited access to markets. The “community-supported agriculture” network that Heifer is incubating with help from a Rotary grant seeks to change that by marketing their fruits and vegetables to large institutions as well as individuals.

First lady Mrs. Jeannette Kagame has paid tribute to Heifer International for their role in helping vulnerable families in Rwanda fight poverty.

Heifer International is hosting a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to impact local farmers. The program allows consumers to order fresh produce weekly from local farmers.

“At the end of the day it’s all about empowering farmers and bringing them together to work as one,” says Ben Maddox from Heifer International.

“In the past my family members used to be malnourished, but now, with milk to drink, they are not. They would get ill frequently, but now that has all stopped.” Thanks to his Heifer cow, Muzakera is earning more than Rwf 48,000 every month from milk sales.

Heifer International Malawi has donated cement, mash, nails and water guard to about 600 dairy farmers from Matapwata, Thyolo Centre and Khonjeni Extension Planning Areas-EPAs.

Stating that many women farmers have ended up becoming entrepreneurs, Srivastava said many SHGs have further formed into federations. “In Rajasthan, we work with 5-6 partners. Pashu Sakhi is part of an overall livelihood programme, where we improve the quality of life of rural households. We are keen to replicate this in other states,” she said.

At Heifer International, we have come to understand why millions of smallholder farmers remain in poverty, despite many programs and interventions by our organization and many others: The Gap. It’s the gap between what a family needs to earn to live a dignified life where they live, and what they actually earn from all of their efforts. For me, the gap is personified by Virginia Carrillo, a coffee farmer in Guatemala.