Cameroon’s dairy development landscape
Located between longitudes 8°W and 16°E and latitudes 3°S and 14°N, Cameroon is endowed with ecological diversity giving rise to five major agro-ecological zones. The Tadu Dairy Development Program is located within two of these zones: high plateaux of the West (zone III) within the 2000 mm–3000 mm isohyets and high guinea savannah of Adamawa (zone II) within the 1200 mm–2000 mm isohyets. Mean annual temperatures, rainfall and relative humidity are 20.2°C, 2311 mm and 73.3% at Bambui for zone III and 22.0°C, 1533 mm and 67.3% at Wakwa for zone II (Mbah et al., 1987). There are two seasons, the rainy and the dry. The rainy season goes from late March to mid-October in zone III and from April to September/early October in zone II.
The favourable ecological conditions have given rise to good conditions for cattle raising — beef and dairy. For 2004 (FAO), there were 5,950,000 head of cattle in Cameroon. About 20% (1,190,000) produced 130,000 T of milk (whole, fresh). The dairy potential per animal varies from 1–5 kg depending on the season. Given growing demand by a population of about 16,018,000 (2003) growing at 2.3% per year (World Bank, 2005), dairy imports keep increasing at high cost. Imports were 25,147 T in 2002 (FAO, 2004) for whole milk alone. For 2003, imports of milk (conditioned + dry + fresh) were valued at US $21,761,000 (about FCFA 16 billion). Total milk supply was only 12.8 kg/capita — less than one-third of the world average of 45 kg/capita. Beef production of 95,000 T gave an average of only 6 kg/capita (world average 10 kg/capita).
To meet ever-increasing dairy demand, the National Advanced School of Agriculture imported Brown Swiss cattle in 1968 while the Institute in charge of Animal Research initiated dairy research with local breeds at Bambui and Wakwa. Research efforts quickly turned to imports of European dairy breeds when locals were found inadequate. Dairy cattle (including semen) — Holstein, Jersey — were imported from the USA through Heifer Project International from 1974 to 1982 for research and extension. These efforts gave rise to the Bamenda Dairy Cooperative and the Projet Laitier Pilote de Ngaoundéré (later SOGELAIT). In the early nineties, the Tadu Dairy Cooperative arrived with an entirely new model based on grassroots producers and a strong interest in artificial insemination. The Tadu model has been successfully replicated in other pastoral communities in the Western Highlands, the Adamawa Plateau, and across the border into the Mambila Highlands of Nigeria.
Research results have shown that crosses between exotic and local breeds are 3–4 times more productive than the locals while being more adapted than pure-bred exotics. The crosses grow faster than the locals and therefore also contribute to beef production. Artificial insemination results have shown that success is higher with natural than synchronized heat, on station and on farm (TDCS). Artificial insemination is also more cost-effective with a large number of cows inseminated, reduced mortality, and a high weaning rate.
The TADU Dairy Development Program
The TADU Dairy Development Program was initiated in August 1988 by Mr. Lawrence Shang, in a bid to enhance the performance of the traditional pastoral dairy production system as then practiced by the Cattle Fulanis of the Western Highlands of Cameroon. In collaboration with MINEPIA and Land O'Lakes dairy development experts, a baseline survey investigated how much surplus milk was available daily during the dry and rainy seasons within a 25 km radius of the TADU Ranch, how surplus milk was disposed of, what milk products were made traditionally, and how interested cattle breeders were in crossbreeding through artificial insemination.
The survey, which polled over 140 Fulani pastoralists, indicated that up to 1,000 liters and 3,000 liters of milk could be mobilized daily during the dry and rainy seasons respectively. It also revealed that traditional pastoralists were extremely interested in crossbreeding and excited about working together as groups of producers/processors to form cooperatives.
The TADU Dairy Cooperative Society (TDCS) was founded on 15 November 1990 by 200 traditional pastoralists, to function as a multipurpose cooperative providing members with access to new breeds, sustainable cattle management practices, and modern dairy processing techniques.
In August 1991, five TDCS members journeyed to Land O'Lakes USA to train in proper artificial insemination techniques. In October of the same year they returned to TADU and launched the TDCS Cattle Crossbreeding Program. The goal is to provide local pastoralists with quality crossbred dairy animals that have desirable environmental adaptations. This program has been successfully replicated in several pastoral communities in the Western Highlands, the Adamawa Plateau, and the Mambila Highlands of Nigeria.
In October 1992, five leaders drawn from five TDCS women's groups trained at Land O'Lakes in quality milk procurement, handling, and testing. By November they returned and initiated the TDCS Quality Milk Production program, run entirely by TDCS dairy women's groups, to sustain the economic lives of Fulani women and protect consumer health.
By 1993, emphasis had shifted from overseas training to in-country workshops. In February 1993 the five TDCS-US quality milk trainees trained more than 250 women's group members. In August 1993, five TDCS-US trained inseminators trained some 25 members from five pastoral settlements in proper AI techniques.
Cunningham Report recommendations
- Solicit the direct participation of women in the Cooperative's Dairy Development Program
- Encourage serious membership investment and action on the protection of rangelands
- Develop a clear business plan for both the artificial insemination and milk procurement/processing enterprises
Following the World Bank-sponsored evaluation of TDCS operations in November 2000 (the Cunningham Report), TDCS was advised to take the steps above. The Smallholder Dairy Development Project (SDDP) was initiated by TDCS in collaboration with Land O'Lakes as a response.
Based on field visits in the Western Highlands by the HIPC Rural Development Expert in August 2003, SDDP was broadened to address constraints to national dairy development, with a focus on the Western Highlands and the Adamawa Plateau — Cameroon's two major milk farming basins.
In October 2003, SDDP was presented to the Consultative and Follow-up Committee for the Management of HIPC Resources (CCS-PPTE) by TDCS in collaboration with MINEPIA. After examination by CCS-PPTE experts, the SDDP was approved for funding.
