PRACTICAL DAIRY TRAINING CENTRE

ELDORET(PDTC)

ABOUT USPractical Dairy Training Centre Eldoret was started as a project of

Lewa Children’s Home Trust which is a charitable non-

governmental organization. Since 2003, more than 10,000 guests

from all over East Africa have visited Baraka Farm. These guests

were farmers, livestock officers, students etc.

Phyllis Keino (director of LCH and BF) and Jos Creemers

(manager) developed a plan to have the small-holder zero-grazing

demonstration unit turned into a small training Centre for so

called smallholder farmers. The management of Lewa Children’s

Home (LCH) realized the need to improve the skills of small scale

farmers on practical dairy production. LCH set aside 2.5 acres of

the farm to establish practical dairy training center (PDTC) where

relevant demonstrations can be done.

OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES

We offer a five (5) day training course that starts

on Monday and ends on Friday. Our training is

highly practical during the 5 days. It includes

60% practical and 40 % theoretical approach. The

course is taught through the following modules.

• Feeding

• Napier Grass Management

• Housing

• Calf Rearing

• Milk Technique and Hygiene

- We have developed our own curriculum and

teaching materials which are focusing on

the target group 'small scale farmers'

.Teaching materials were developed for

these 8-10 modules. We managed to

develop 5 full modules, Each teaching

module exists of 4-6 pages, the teaching

material is handed out to the students and it

can be taken home with the students at the

end of the course.

-The other three modules; Fertility, Farm record

keeping and animal health are almost ready

and will be used in the beginning of 2015.

PRACTICAL SESSION AT THEZERO GRAZING UNIT

SESSION

DISCUSSION SESSION AT THEZERO GRAZING UNIT

THEORY SESSION IN THE CLASSROOM

PDTC TRAINER (MARTIN) TAKING FARMERS THROUGH THE PRACTICAL SESSION AT THE ZERO GRAZING UNIT

MARKETING STRATEGIES

Trainers during a practical session at our dairy unit being facilitated by Mr.Jurjen Draaijer

FACILITIES AVAILABLE

-ZERO GRAZING UNIT.

At the zero grazing unit, one can see Napier grass, and a 'protein bank' Protein rich crops which can be used to contribute to ratio of the cow. The zero grazing unit makes use of appropriate technology aimed at low input farming and a gradual improvement of genetic potential of the cows available at the small holder farmers unit and a gradual improvement of the fodder and feeds available. -

ZERO GRAZING UNIT

NAPIER GRASS AT THE ZG UNIT

FODDER CROPS AT THE ZG UNIT

Other Facilities available to conduct the

training

1.Class room is available with chairs and tables.

2.Video and TV screen are available

3.Accommodation (boarding and lodging) for

participants is available.

DINING ROOM

ONE OF OUR ROOMS

CLASSROOM WITH TV SET

The Baraka Farm has 80 Holstein Friesian dairy

cows which are studbook registered. The young

stock rearing unit is a modern zero grazing

system which achieves high growth rates.

COWS AT THE DAIRY UNIT

READY TO BE MILKED

MILKING PARLOUR

MALE, 82%,

FEMALE, 18%,

FARMERS TRAINED AS AT 1ST AUGUST 2014

MALE FEMALE

As at 1st August PDTC- Eldoret has trained 118 farmers/ trainers who includes; 21 female (18%) and 97 Male (82%)from different counties countrywide. This includes; 6% self sponsored, 89% SNV sponsored and 5% LCH Sponsored.

BARINGO14%

UASIN GISHU, 44%MERU9%

NYANDARUA5%

POKOT7%

KAKAMEGA3%

ELGEYO MARAKWET7%

HOMABAY2%

NAKURU9%

FARMERS TRAINED PER COUNTY

BARINGO UASIN GISHU MERU

NYANDARUA POKOT KAKAMEGA

ELGEYO MARAKWET HOMABAY NAKURU

Riftvalley71%

western5%

Nyanza2%

Eastern 14%

Central8%

FARMERS ATTENDANCE ACCORDING TO PROVINCES

Riftvalley western Nyanza Eastern Central

Trainers11%

small scaleFarmers

70%

Large scale Farmers

15%

students4%

FARMERS/TRAINERS

Trainers small scaleFarmers

Large scale Farmers students

FEB15%

MARCH18%

APRIL9%

MAY22%

JUNE18%

JULY18%

MONTHLY ATTENDANCE

FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY

CHALLENGES WE ENCOUNTER

• Sharing of resources with the home• Most potential trainees prefer one day

training• Marketing• Certificate of attendance

Our marketing strategies include;• Designing and distribution of Brochures/

fliers• Sharing information on Social media i.e.

Facebook, twitter, you tube• TV, News paper• NGO's like SNV, heifer international,

one acre fund etc.

• Milk processing companies KCC,

Brookside, Buzeki etc.• Possible in the future, livestock breeders

show, Eldoret show, KLPA(Kenya Livestock Producers Association) field days etc.

• Word of mouth

THE ENDPRESENTATION PREPARED BY ANN & MARTIN