Small Scale Cattle Farms. in Central and Eastern Europe

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1 Small Scale Cattle Farms in Central and Eastern Europe

2 Heifer International Model of Sustainable Management of Small Scale Cattle Farms in Central and Eastern Europe

3 Heifer International reduce hunger, poverty and degradation of environment in rural areas, through the development of livestock and education Heifer International assists poor farmers provide food for their families and improve their income through donation of animals, education, technical assistance for development of small scale farms. Heifer International works in 128 countries in Asia, Africa, Central Eastern Europe, Latin America and Caribbean and North America, improving the life of about 24 million people in these 60 years.

4 Established Offices: Albania Macedonia Armenia Georgia Azerbaijan Kosovo Lithuania Latvia Estonia Poland Romania Moldova Russia Ukraine Slovakia Central Eastern Europe Program of Heifer International started in 1992, actually working in 8 established country offices and implementing projects in 7 other countries

5 Central Eastern Europe Program Heifer International Central Eastern Europe Program mission is to assist small scale private farms to achieve self-reliance in a free market economy through: - building sustainable farming systems - training of farmers - donation of qualitative animals - implementation of Passing on the Gift philosophy

6 Central Eastern Europe Program Heifer International During these years, CEE Program is quickly developed and extended. Over 180 projects are in implementation, 110 of them involving cattle or mixed animal types heifers are donated through these projects other animals are provided through Passing On the Gift philosophy. About families are assisted by the projects involving donation of cattle.

7 Situation of family farms in CEE The development of family farms in countries of Central Eastern Europe have their own characteristics compared to other countries of the world. - - emergence from a centralized state economical system - a great number of family farms with limited opportunities - affinity to a developed economical zone and integration to European Union market.

8 Comparative data of actual situation Percentage of the family farms to the total farms number Countries S i z e o f t h e f a r m s (cows per farm) and more Farms % Cows % Farms % Cows % Farms % Cows % Farms % Cows % Farms % Cows % Poland Lithuania Latvia Armenia Albania

9 Family farms in CEE Program The main focus of Heifer International is on family farms, taking a great percentage of the total number of farms. Percentage of family farms (1-2 cows): 65.3% in Poland, 78 % in Albania, Lithuania, Latvia, 70% in Armenia. Percentage of cows in these farms: 22.6 % in Poland, 55.1 % in Albania, 34-38% in Armenia, Lithuania and Latvia. If including farms breeding 3-4 cows: Percentage of family farms: 79.5% in Poland, 98.8 in Albania, % in Armenia, Lithuania and Latvia. Percentage of cows in these farms: 35.3% in Poland, 92.5% in Albania, % in Lithuania, Latvia and Armenia.

10 Heifer International Model Heifer International has chosen the sustainable development and management of small scale family farms as the best approach to achieve its objectives (After analysis of specific conditions of CEE countries, as: emergence from a centralized state economy, network of small scale fragmented farms, opportunities of integration in European market)

11 Data on family farm size in some countries of CEE Program Country Average persons per family Average nr of cows per farm Land per farm / family (ha) Cultivated Pasture Total Milk yield per lactation (liters per cow) Poland Ukraine Lithuania (Baltic) Russia Armenia (Caucasian) No private Kosovo Albania No private

12 Heifer International supports poor families, with many family members and limited economical opportunities with inputs, training, technical assistance and activities, but in about 3-5 years Heifer encourages the concept of sustainable development of farms, ensuring the generation of income Based on this working method, Heifer International is extended with cattle projects in 15 European countries, where about 180 projects are implemented or are under implementation, 110 of them involving cattle or mixed kinds of animals

13 Countries Poland Romania Ukraine Lithuania (Baltic) Armenia (Caucasian) Data on project, animals, breeds in some countries of CEE Program Program Start Year Cattle projects Mixed Project Families involved * No heifers distributed No of POG Breed Polish Red Simmental HF Spot cattle Brown Swiss Black &White Red &White Brown Carpathian Red Stepe Holstein Latvian Brown Lithuanian Black &White Local catlle Total projects* Russia Black &White Arshire; Holstein, Red &White Kostromskay, Simmental 17 Kosovo Holstein Simmental 14 Albania Holstein Simmental Jersey Brown Swiss 23

14 Activities projects implementation: The main elements in designing/implementation of projects are: - Performance of preliminary study for the region - Identification of the beneficiary farmers groups based on defined criteria. After project approval, implementation follows these phases. - Completion of a complete training package including knowledge on Heifer International cornerstones, animal breeding and community development. - Provision of technical assistance directly to the farmers - Distribution of appropriate quality breed animals - Support with inputs and veterinary assistance to the farms - Performance of continuous evaluations and monitoring on project progress based on the project objectives.

15 Support of farmers groups with inputs in different countries of CEE Program State Heifers Stable Drinkers Concentrate / additive Forage seeds Milking machine Cooling tanks Micro credit Vet. treat Medic. AI Equip. Farm mechani zation Poland Ukraine Lithuani a Latvia Armenia Georgia Azerbai. Russia Kosovo Albania

16 Heifer International in cooperation with partners is actually working for: - further consolidation of family farms, - supporting farmers associations for improvement - management capabilities - professional education - offering information on market, processing, marketing - opportunities for loans Bringing work to this phase enabled farmers of CEE countries to be prepared to comply to standards and requirements of the European Community, where they wish to be integrated. Many projects aim at this objective, as in Poland, Romania, Lithuania or Integrated Dairy Development Project - TMF in Albania.

17 Opinion on the size of sustainable small scale cattle farms in some countries of CEE Program Country Land per farm (ha) Cultivat ed Pasture No. cows per farm Milk used % Family consum pti on Market Approximately average income $/month expected from livestock Poland Ukraine Lithuania (Baltic) Russia Armenia (Caucasian) 2 Use communal Kosovo Albania

18 Identified Problems - Small funds for qualitative animals and investments in farm - Low milk price - High production cost (fuel and agricultural equipments) - Insufficient stable equipment to enable advanced technology - Small financial resources for farm development - Insufficient knowledge and professionalism (marketing / business) - Insufficient knowledge on entrepreneurship - Lack of modern equipment for milking, production and stable - Insufficient resources for stable modernization, manure processing - Lack of ecological farms (ecological products are really expensive) - Limited arable land / pasture surface - Unstable milk market - Lack of mechanization - Lack of collecting points and milk markets - Unbalanced feeding of cows - Problems in cow reproduction after first calving - Expensive veterinary service

19 Recommendations for action - Training, distribution of information, best farming practices, agribusiness and advanced technologies - Establishment of structures to help farmers sell products - Distribution of more financial and material resources for farms - Training associated with material investments for the development of practical skills for an effective entrepreneurship - Encouragement of farmers towards the establishment of associations - Sharing the cost of collecting points and other investments - Help in the establishment of milk collecting points - Support with important and necessary medicaments for the farm - Support of forage production and provision of equipments for animal feed processing

20 Conclusions: In 14 years, Central Eastern Europe Program is extended in 15 countries with over 110 cattle projects. Passing on the Gift philosophy is reflected in donation of 6000 heifers and pass-on of about 4000 offspring of them, assisting about 10,000 poor families. The CEE Program contributes to the reduction of poverty in rural areas through the establishment of a model of sustainable family farms. The contribution of Heifer International through the donation of animals, training, technology transfer and support with input has created a vast network of small scale farmers groups and associations, which have the capacities to be involved in development programs.

21 Conclusions Main identified problems: - fragmented familiar economy with low land and pasture surface; - limited opportunities for investments in the farm, low mechanization level; - insufficient practical knowledge and skills in animal breeding and feeding, veterinary service, marketing and entrepreneurship; high production cost, unstable market. Recommended Solutions: -Effective training programs and practical education of farmers on animal breeding and feeding, farm management, marketing, agriculture business, animal reproduction and health, quality, livestock products standards and safety (food chain) and ecological farms. -Participation in costs for providing equipment in family farms, establishment of product collecting points and markets, and opportunities for loans. -Support in the establishment and strengthening of farmers associations as an opportunity of small scale farmers to survive in a competitive market

22 Thank You!