In August 2022, Lisanne Oskam and Ad Merks visited Benin for the Nuffic Orange Knowledge Programme Tailor-made Training+ Livestock. This project was organized by HollandDoor for four agricultural schools: Kika, Ina, Banikoara and Natitingou (Lycée Technique Agricole Partenaires). The project is about improving irrigation, horticulture, dairy and poultry farming in Benin.
The focus of this training was on sustainable goat farming and practical sheep husbandry near Parakou. We held several presentations and workshops on the farm with about 20 teachers. We visited two different sheep and goat farms. Topics included feeding, health, reproduction and milking on smallholder farms in Benin. But we also did practical work on fodder production and making good silage, which is a particularly important issue during the dry season. On the last day, the four agricultural schools presented a modular barn design for milking goats, which will be built near the four schools on a small budget.
We had many discussions with the teachers of the four schools about the different types of management and planning required in the dry and rainy seasons. But we also covered priorities for the development of fodder production and dairy farming in Benin. Without water and feed, there can be no cows and no milk, so this challenge was part of the discussion. But we strongly believe that sustainable (dairy) goat farming has a future of milk products in Benin.
For more information, please contact Lisanne Oskam (sheep) or Ad Merks (goats).
