January 2010

Maforga Christian Mission is a charity institution that has been working in Gondola district in Manica province, Mozambique, since 1986. The first 250 orphans housed at the Mission were victims of the 16-year war that affected Mozambique. The Mission currently shelters 52 orphaned children under 12 years old. With USDA Food for Progress funding, Land O’Lakes partnered with the Mission in 2009 to increase and diversify income-generating activities, improve the nutritional intake of the orphans, and provide a dairy demonstration project, training opportunities, and center of excellence for surrounding communities. The Mission provides various services and support to more than 2,500 community members from Maforga, Chigueda, Mutsunza and Amatongas-Socele and is especially needed in times of crisis such as drought.

The Mission originally had a rudimentary dairy activity, with basic facilities and a number of crossbred animals. There were plans to scale up this activity, and a purebred bull and heifers were purchased, but yields were insufficient to meet requirements. Roy Perkins, known as Pai (father) by the orphans and surrounding community and the first missionary to work at the Mission, noted, “Due to chronic malnutrition among the children, the medical doctors advised us to find sources of food to improve nutrition. We purchased three dairy cows which were the only source of fresh milk. Two of the cows died due to inadequate animal health and feeding practices, as well as a lack of technical assistance.”

Land O’Lakes agreed to step in and support the Mission through its USDA-funded Food for Progress program. Following technical advice and training on improving dairy facilities, water supply and conservation of appropriate feed, the Mission received five in-calf purebred Jersey heifers. Land O’Lakes also provided ongoing technical advice.

The day-to-day care of the dairy cattle is the responsibility of Joaquim Ernesto, one of the former orphans who is now 31 years old. Joaquim was trained by Land O’Lakes as a community animal health worker and is responsible for animal husbandry and nutrition at the Mission.

As of December 2009, the Mission’s lactating cows were producing more than 50 liters of fresh milk per day. From August to December, total production reached 5,076 liters of milk. This increased production enabled the orphans to drink fresh milk daily. The remaining amount of milk is made into yogurt. Jorge Francisco, an employee responsible for supplying fodder informed, “We now realize the previous exotic cattle had poor and erratic yields and did not live for long, not because they were musungu cattle (exotics), but because of our poor management practices. Even our crossbred cow is now producing at least six liters per day.”

Orphans receive a nutritious, milk-based meal at the Maforga Christian Mission.

Mr. Perkins says that foster and female-headed households with more than eight children have been selected by the Mission to receive five liters of milk per week in order to improve their nutrition.

Land O’Lakes is currently training 50 smallholder farmers and their assistants from Maforga and neighboring communities as potential future recipients of a dairy cow. By mid-2010, the Gondola Milk Collection Center will have been constructed and equipped and producer members of the cooperative will be able to deliver their milk for bulking and selling. This will allow producers’ milk to enter the cold chain and access ready markets. This should encourage more local farmers to invest in dairy farming or expand their herd size to increase production and income.

“I look on the Land O’Lakes dairy initiative with hope, and I am sure that other direct beneficiaries will get out from the extreme poverty that prevents their food security,’’ concluded Perkins.