RDF conducted a basic household survey on production and productivity of milk and dairy produce in all five districts of Issyk-Kul region for the Dairy Development Program. Study areas and villages were selected by stratified sampling. The study was conducted with small and medium-sized households by means of household surveys, quality interviews, and focus group discussions with stakeholders and experts. The main objective of the baseline study was to understand current milk productivity, the quality of dairy produce, the management practices, and the distribution of responsibilities within the household for the management of dairy farms. The study also focused on collecting data and information on potential beneficiary farms by examining their profiles.
Upon the completion of the study, RDF created a report with listing of goals of the project and the indicators from the basic study. This report will help assess the interim and final results of the project. At the end of the project, we expect the beneficiary farms to increase their milk productivity and the percentage of milk yield in the standard period of lactation of cows by 5 per cent annually and by 15 per cent overall by the end of the project.
This project, funded by the World Bank, is aimed at increasing overall productivity of the dairy sector and improving the quality of milk produced in the target farms. The project is designed to ensure sustainable export of dairy products by improving all parts of the dairy sector chain. The project will also train farmers to gain technical and methodological knowledge to improve their dairy production, to generate sustainable income, and to improve the household-level well-being, as well as to provide farmers with jobs .
The project is to implement programs to improve feeding and general animal-husbandry practices through trainings and advisory services. It also aims to install better veterinary services and provide funding aid for small farms engaged in dairy production.