Dairy goat farming

Benard

Kakrigu, Kenya

100% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Benard

Member since

April 2015

On-time repayments

232 installments • 68%

About Me

I was born in 1977 in the Island of Rusinga, Kakrigu Village in Waware South Sub Location, Rusinga East Location. I was raised in the village where my father was a small scale fisherman and practiced peasantry in the small family land. The hardships that I saw my parents undergo influenced not to be after formal forms of employment but to engage in agriculture. This is one area that I realised many people do not venture into opting to fishing that is widely practised. However the depletion of fish species influenced me to diversify the economic activity from the mainstream fishing to farming.
In the few years that I have engaged into this sector I have discovered the 'gold' that is hidden here and I want to expand it to greater levels. I get inspired when the whole of my family, during spare time we spend a lot of our time in the farm and enjoy doing it together. My children comment that they want to buy a tractor when they grow up to aid me in ploughing instead of the conventional hoes that we use. A lot of our free time is spent in the garden and imagine the taste of a paw paw juice one hot day!!!!

My Business

Rusinga Island where I live is surrounded by the vast Lake Victoria Waters. Despite the availability of the vast waters food security has always been a challenge. The changing weather patterns have adversely affected agricultural production in the community hence low production of food crops.
In response to this challenge I decided to venture into horticultural farming where I grow cabbages, onions, tomatoes and other fast maturing food crops.
Horticultural farming has proved to be very profitable as the demands for the products are high from middle men/women who buy from my farm in bulk and resell to consumers. I occasionally sell to consumers direct which is as well profiting.
I used the proceeds from my farm in paying school fee for my children, buy school uniforms and other family supplies. I am also relieved from buying most of the food that I use at home as they are got directly from my farm.
I thank Zidisha for their support using the previous loan to cultivate the additional piece of land that I acquired and the harvest was equally bountiful.
I got a lot of support from the proceeds as my children's school fee were smoothly settled, I can now do some Christmas shopping for my family and daily meals weren't a bother as I could buy that which I did not have. Surely Zidisha is transforming lives!
I have realised that agriculture is as paying even more than mainstream jobs. I want to raise up a fence made up of barbed wire as the temporary fence I raised is weak and cannot keep the marauding animals away. At the same time a fence will keep intruders away. From the proceeds of the last harvest and an addition from yet another loan from Zidisha I hope my dreams will accomplished.
Because of the strong El-nino rains I feel I should diversify and as well try a hand in poultry rearing. It is also one project that my feasibility study has proved to be as profitable and in demand.
It is for this reason that I have a fall back in Zidisha because my savings may not be sufficient. An additional Zidisha loan added to my savings will enable me therefore to buy the materials needed like cedar poles, nails, barbed wire, pay for the labourers, raise up a structure for the chicks and buy some feeds. I understand that it is a demanding venture that will require a lot of financial input and commitment but I believe I am upto the challenge.
I therefore appeal for support from the worthy partners once again as I prepare to launch the next phase of my projects.

Loan Proposal

I have been a small scale agriculturalist. I have tried my hand in different ventures including poultry rearing, tomato production and many others. Presently I plan to venture into dairy goat rearing. I have done my baseline survey and realised that rearing goats for milk would be as much profitable. The ministry of agriculture whom I have consulted also concur that the goats can do better. Despite the drought we experience along the lake region, they advise that the goats can survive as they are browsers and not grazers and therefore dont depend on grass. They are not easily affetcted by diseases as compared to cows.
Because of nutritional value of goat milk, I have the backing of the community as many people talk tea without milk and cows also dont survive. the community therefore depend on processed milk from the shops which they may not be able to afford due to the economic hardships. To this end therefore the activity will be able to give good returns not only economically but also nutritionally to my kids for good growth.
To achieve this goal of starting off the project, I have already construction a pen in which they will be staying during the night and a watering trough. I need to start with three goats valued at 1000 dollars each. The three will therefore cost $3000. Additionally I plan to buy some drugs to administer to them because of the change of climate valued at $700. Other logistics will include transportation to my home and some feed supplements. The entire budget goes upto $5500.
A loan from Zidisha will be helpful in meeting the cost of setting the pace from the project.
The proceeds of the project will help in educating my children. Considering the health benefits of the goat milk, the community will improve their health. This will be a pioneer project and I wish to promote it considering the available climatic that is favouring goat rearing compared to other animals.