Upgrading the smallholder dairy value chain: a system dynamics ex-ante impact assessment in Tanzania's Kilosa district

AbstractThis paper examines ex-ante impacts of two policy interventions that improve productivity of local-breed cows through artificial insemination (AI) and producers’ access to distant markets through a dairy market hub. The majority of cattle in Kilosa district in Tanzania are local low productivity breeds kept by smallholders and agro-pastoralists. Milk production is seasonal, which constrains producers’ access to distant urban markets, constrains producers’ incomes and restricts profitability in dairy processing. We developed and evaluated an integrated system dynamics (SD) simulation model that captures many relevant feedbacks between the biological dynamics of dairy cattle production, the economics of milk market access, and the impacts of rainfall as an environmental factor. Our analysis indicated that in the short (1 year) and medium (5-year) term, policy interventions have a negative effect on producers’ income due to high AI costs. However, in the long term (5+ years), producers’ income from dairy cattle activities markedly increases (by, on average, 7% per year). The results show the potential for upgrading the smallholder dairy value chain in Kilosa, but achievement of this result may require financial support to producers in the initial stages (first 5 years) of the interventions, particularly to offset AI costs, as well as additional consideration of post-farm value chain costs. Furthermore, institutional aspects of dairy market hub have substantial effects on trade-offs amongst performance measures (e.g. higher profit vs. milk consumption at producer's household) with gain in cumulative profit coming at the expense of a proportional and substantial reduction in home milk consumption.

Download Full-text

Identifying ‘win-win-win’ futures from inequitable value chain trade-offs: A system dynamics approach

Agricultural Systems ◽

10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103096 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 190 ◽

pp. 103096

Author(s):

Gregory S. Cooper ◽

Karl M. Rich ◽

Bhavani Shankar ◽

Vinay Rana ◽

Nazmun N. Ratna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Value Chain ◽

Trade Offs

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Dairy Cattle Productivity in Smallholder Farms in Nyeri County, Kenya

East African Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation ◽

10.37425/eajsti.v2i1.201 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Peter Aweer Duot Ajak ◽

Charles K. Gachuiri ◽

Margaret M. M. Wanyoike

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Value Chain ◽

Dairy Farms ◽

Breeding Systems ◽

Cattle Production ◽

Feed Resources ◽

The Mean ◽

Smallholder Dairy ◽

Smallholder Dairy Farms

Dairy cattle production contributes approximately 4.5% of the Kenyan National Gross Domestic Product, creates jobs along the value chain and plays a key role in food security. However, average milk yield per cow is still low under smallholder dairy production system despite concerted efforts to improve productivity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the productivity of smallholder dairy farms in 2 sub-counties of Nyeri County. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to collect data on feed resources and feeding systems, breeds and breeding systems, calf management, age at first service (AFS), age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), milk yield (MY) and lactation length (LL) in smallholder dairy farms. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The dominant feed resources and feeding system were roughages (mostly Napier grass), concentrates and mineral supplements (87.2%) and stall feeding (74.2%). Majority of the farmers kept Friesians (82.2%) with (94.5%) using artificial insemination. Most of the farmers (83.5%) fed 2-4 litres of colostrum to the calves and the method of feeding was majorly bucket feeding (93.0%). High proportion of farmers (97.7%) fed the colostrum from 0-6 hours after calving and (59.6%) weaned calves at 3 months. The AFS was mainly 18-20 months and above, while the mean AFC, CI, and LL were 28.7±2.84, 15.2±5.11 and 10.0±4.90 months, respectively. The mean milk yield was 10.7±5.85 litres/cow/day. The main challenges to dairy cattle production were feed shortages (30.6%), low farmgate milk prices (28.3%) and high cost of concentrate feeds (17.8%). It was concluded that performance of dairy cattle in the study area was poor attributed mostly to feed shortages and low milk prices. To improve productivity, feed availability and cost together with farmgate price of milk should be addressed.

Download Full-text

Ex-ante impact of on-farm diversification and forward integration on agricultural value chain resilience: A system dynamics approach

Agricultural Systems ◽

10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103043 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 189 ◽

pp. 103043

Author(s):

Joshua Aboah ◽

Mark M.J. Wilson ◽

Kathryn Bicknell ◽

Karl M. Rich

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Value Chain ◽

Farm Diversification ◽

Ex Ante ◽

On Farm ◽

Forward Integration

Download Full-text

Viability of smallholder dairy cattle management and its intensification strategies based on whole-farm analyses in southern Mozambique

Tropical Animal Health and Production ◽

10.1007/s11250-020-02547-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Junji Koide ◽

Benedito Isac Tinga

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Cattle Management ◽

Smallholder Dairy

Download Full-text

A comparison of seroprevalence and risk factors for Theileria parva and T. mutans in smallholder dairy cattle in the Tanga and Iringa regions of Tanzania

The Veterinary Journal ◽

10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.08.004 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 174 (2) ◽

pp. 390-396 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Emmanuel S. Swai ◽

Esrony D. Karimuribo ◽

Dominic M. Kambarage ◽

Winford E. Moshy ◽

Adam N. Mbise

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Theileria Parva ◽

Smallholder Dairy

Download Full-text

Prevalence and determinants of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in smallholder dairy cattle in Iringa and Tanga Regions of Tanzania

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v74i1.136 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E.S. Swai ◽

N.P. French ◽

E.D. Karimuribo ◽

J.L. Fitzpatrick ◽

M.J. Bryant ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Animal Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cryptosporidium Spp ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

The Family ◽

Cryptosporidium Oocysts ◽

Smallholder Dairy ◽

Family House

The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a cross-sectional study of dairy cattle, from two contrasting dairying regions in Tanzania, were determined by staining smears of faecal samples with the modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Of the 1 126 faecal samples screened, 19.7% were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. The prevalence was lower in Tanga Region than in Iringa Region. The prevalence of affected farms was 20% in Tanga and 21% in Iringa. In both regions, the probability of detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in faeces varied with animal class, but these were not consistent in both regions. In Tanga Region, Cryptosporidium oocysts were significantly more likely to be found in the faeces of milking cows. In Iringa Region, the likelihood that cattle had Cryptosporidium-positive faeces declined with age, and milking cattle were significantly less likely to have Cryptosporidium positive faeces. In this region, 7% of cattle were housed within the family house at night, and this was marginally associated with a higher likelihood that animals had Cryptosporidium-positive faeces. Our study suggests that even though herd sizes are small, Cryptosporidium spp. are endemic on many Tanzanian smallholder dairy farms. These protozoa may impact on animal health and production, but also on human health, given the close associations between the cattle and their keepers. Further studies are required to assess these risks in more detail, and understand the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in this management system.

Download Full-text

Breeding strategies for sustainable intensification of developing smallholder dairy cattle production systems

10.18174/405836 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Charles Mbogo Kariuki

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Production Systems ◽

Sustainable Intensification ◽

Breeding Strategies ◽

Cattle Production ◽

Smallholder Dairy

Download Full-text

Development of a System Dynamics Model to Guide Retail Food Store Policies in Baltimore City

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13093055 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 3055

Author(s):

Siyao Zhu ◽

Cassandra Mitsinikos ◽

Lisa Poirier ◽

Takeru Igusa ◽

Joel Gittelsohn

Keyword(s):

System Dynamics ◽

Low Income ◽

The United States ◽

Staple Food ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Web Based ◽

Obesity Epidemic ◽

Policy Interventions ◽

Decision Variables ◽

City Policy

Policy interventions to improve food access and address the obesity epidemic among disadvantaged populations are becoming more common throughout the United States. In Baltimore MD, corner stores are a frequently used source of food for low-income populations, but these stores often do not provide a range of affordable healthy foods. This research study aimed to assist city policy makers as they considered implementing a Staple Food Ordinance (SFO) that would require small stores to provide a range and depth of stock of healthy foods. A System Dynamics (SD) model was built to simulate the complex Baltimore food environment and produce optimal values for key decision variables in SFO planning. A web-based application was created for users to access this model to optimize future SFOs, and to test out different options. Four versions of potential SFOs were simulated using this application and the advantages and drawbacks of each SFO are discussed based on the simulation results. These simulations show that a well-designed SFO has the potential to reduce staple food costs, increase corner store profits, reduce food waste, and expand the market for heathy staple foods.

Download Full-text