completed· Education

Improving production and market access in Dhading cooperatives

The Small Farmer Agriculture Cooperative Federation (SFACF) in Dhading district was established in 1993, it is an umbrella organization affiliating 37 Small Farmer Agricultural Cooperatives Limited (SFACL), one per Villa Development Committee (VDC). The cooperative has 20748 shareholders (11.535 women). In Dhading district there exist 50 VDC from which until now 37 are covered by SFACF, and within this project SFACF aims to reach 5 VDC of the 13 remaining. In the 5 VDC will be established 250 new groups and 5 new cooperatives, one per VDC. The establishment of the groups will directly increase the membership of SFACF with 5 new cooperatives and at least 1750 women farmers. Another objective of the project is to increase the income of the farmers by improving the production, increasing the skill of the farmers in entrepreneurship management and getting access to the markets. Youth and women farmers will be central in the project, creating opportunities for them through the different trainings planned and the establisment of cooperatives. Expected results 1. Small farmer communities are organized and are capable making informed choices and actively participate to optimize their livelihood. 2. 80% of the participants trained will be employed by their cooperatives 3. farmers increase their incomes by 33% from Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 per month. 4. increase in the production and farmers fulfill market demands. 4. increase in the access of farmers to micro credit 4. farmers products are sold through the collection center property of the cooperative at a favorable price 5. Improved relationship between farmer and buyer. 6. Both newly formed and existing cooperatives are well managed In order to achieve these results the following activities will be performed: a. For the new cooperatives the following trainings will be performed: account keeping, leadership, cooperative education and registration training, management of savings and credit training. 13 support staff will be enrolled, one per new cooperative b. In order to improve entrepreneurship skills of youth farmers: training on wiring, animal heath, technical aspects of agriculture, goat raising c. to improve the production of vegetables and goats: acquisition of equipment for agro vet services (microscope will be purchased and given to 10 cooperatives), a buck , improved seeds, micro-irrigation, d. To improve the access to market: three collection centers will be set up. The direct participants of the project will be 1920 farmers from which 95% will be women (1832) at the local level. At least 250 groups will participate in the activities of the project , and representatives of 19 cooperatives. The total budget for this project amounts to €65.440, €5.049 will be contribution of SFACF, €5.975 contribution of the community and €54.416 is requested to Agriterra. to optimize performance of Ndumberi dairy in order to increase its business in terms of supplying farmers, volumens of milk and market outlets and to set the stage for a successful merger between Kiambaa and Ndumberi.