In 2020, HollandDoor began livestock training sessions for agricultural schools in Benin. These sessions are related to the Nuffic OKP project on horticulture, irrigation and livestock aiming to improve teachers’ skills over two years. We are working with four agricultural schools – LTA (Lycée Techniqua Agricole) Kika, Banikoara, Natitingou and Ina – and with our Dutch partner Citaverde. Until now, most sessions have been in a hybrid format (online and in-person) because of the Covid-19 situation.
The focus in the early months was on dairy farming and milk processing, so we organized online training sessions on CowSignals®, health, and feeding and milking dairy cattle. However, we also worked with a dairy company in Benin to organize in-person training sessions on milk processing. The teachers were very interested in the CowSignals® tool for small farmers in Africa, and they learned a lot about yogurt and cheese production. Topics such as health, Mastitis prevention, hygiene and milk quality are important parts of improving dairy farming in Benin.
From mid-2021, we will focus on hybrid sessions in poultry farming, layers and broilers. Citaverde experts are working with the four schools and some poultry farms near the schools to prepare these training sessions. There will also be information about collecting and sorting eggs, and about chicken meat and processing. Our HollandDoor experts hope to visit Benin soon to provide practical training sessions on CowSignals® on the farm, complete with checklists and measurements. After all, accurate measurements enable farmers to know more about their cows, which is better for their income!
For more information, contact Ad Merks or Maarten Heijne
