Increased employment and income among small milk and cheese producers in the Hualgayoc Province of Peru
by Adventist Development and Relief Agency
Description of methodology, techniques and strategies used
The overall goal of the project has been to improve the capacities of these small milk and cheese producers by increasing their milk production through improvements in pastures and milking and to improve the commercial quality and hygienic practices in the production of their dairy products. Furthermore, the marketing strategies of the cheese distribution had to be improved by linking good quality products with the right market.
Strategies:
- Formation of an association of small milk and cheese producers
- Training of small milk producers and small cheese producers
- Producer associations linked to new markets through a commercial chain
- Milk and cheese producers supported with credit
- Methods to improve commercial quality of the product implemented among the small producer associations
- Project management system set up and functioning effectively
Implementation methodologies
- Planted demonstration plots of improved pastures with alfalfa, and an association of rye-grass, and trebles (white and red).
- Coordinated with government organizations to implement a vaccination and sanitation schedule, as well as a including de-worming process for livestock.
- Supported beneficiaries to improve the infrastructure of their processing plants, and to provided them with inputs and equipment to produce cheese.
- Took records of milk production of each animal on a monthly basis during the life of the project to help select animals with the highest volume of production, length and persistence of lactation period.
- Listed all small processing plants and made an inventory of all the equipment they were using to prepare their dairy products. Provided them with equipment and utensils that guaranteed sanitation of the product as well as it quality. Also, participants were trained on norms of sanitation quality based on the HACCP system. The project also worked on the standardization of the product based on the quality norms that the market expected.
- Reduced substantially losses due to spoilage and contamination. Milk used for dairy product production went through two simple processes that guaranteed the quality of the product by eliminating the microbes that spoil milk and in consequence the dairy products. These two processes were: pasteurization and homogenization.
- Increase the profitability of product through the increase of product quality, the small cheese producers have increased their economic income, by introducing their products in local and national markets.
Innovative aspect regarding this project
ADRA Peru has already replicated the project in two other communities in Ayacucho, the central highlands of Peru, and also is in the process of replicating in other communities of Cajamarca. Below are the details of the projects.
Evidence of results and impact
By the end of the project the following results were achieved: household income was increased in average by 45%. 2,192 employments were consolidated; this represents 10% more as compared with the planned target. Sales increased by 34%, and participants saw and increase in the preference of their products in local and regional markets. However, the planned target of 159% was not reached, because the necessary conditions to form the cheese producer association did not exit.
Training results were remarkable, 100% of participants attended the sessions, and this was translated into change of hygienic practices and improved skills of cheese producers. Also, the project has promoted cultivation of improved pastures with a good participation of farmers and the target for planted area was surpassed by 1% (101% achievement). In addition, some non-participant farmers started plants other plots with their own resources.