Muliko Livestock Services Boosts Milk and Growth for Smallholder Farmers in Mzimba District
The business provides a range of services, such as artificial insemination (AI), the sale of dairy and beef cattle sperm, training, and outreach for better animal management and livestock fattening.
Malawi: Muliko Livestock Services is giving smallholder farmers in Malawi's Mzimba district vital assistance in order to increase milk production and promote the livestock's growth more quickly, writes Victor Musongole.
The business provides a range of services, such as artificial insemination (AI), the sale of dairy and beef cattle sperm, training, and outreach for better animal management and livestock fattening.
Smallholder farmers in Malawi are reportedly dealing with a number of difficulties, including a lack of equipment for Artificial Insemination (AI), transportation issues for AI technicians, and inbreeding, according to ICRISAT research that was published on ReliefWeb in 2022.
Hesco Banda, an AI technician, says the Muliko project is providing essential AI services to grow the livestock industry.
"Currently under the Muliko project, we are providing Artificial Insemination services, and farmers have started reaping the benefits," Banda said.
Jean Munthali, Vice Chair of Kapacha Dairy Cooperative, says Muliko's services have boosted their profits, with their cows producing more milk than before.
"We have seen a rise in the litres of milk our cows are producing. Before Muliko, most cows were giving 8 to 12 litres, but after adopting AI services, most cows now produce up to 25 litres a day," Munthali said.
Jester Kalua, Chairperson of Doroba Dairy Cooperative, concurred, adding that farmers should adopt new methods such as AI to boost their profits.
"AI is cost-effective compared to keeping a whole bull, and it also helps prevent inbreeding. All of our 78 members have improved breeds now," Kalua said.
Gilbert Banda, Managing Director of Muliko Livestock Services, says they started their services to remove the burden farmers were facing with breeding.
"We have recorded a rise in demand for our AI services, improved milk production, and a reduction in inbreeding problems," Banda said.
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) animal breeding expert Timothy Gondwe says the outreach program by Muliko should be encouraged to make services accessible to farmers at all times.
"The availability of semen from improved breeds and AI services is crucial for farmers to make profits, and these interventions should be made available to farmers at all times," Gondwe emphasized.