Value Chain Mapping and Market Survey for Dairy Cattle and Goat on the Copperbelt Province, Zambia.

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to identify possible entry points into the dairy cattle and goat meat value chains for small holder farmers, by clearly highlighting opportunities open to them in their respective catchment districts. The study was meant to also identify key challenges surrounding the two value chains and propose effective mechanisms of addressing them. In order to achieve the above objective, the study was meant to analyse and document the dairy and goat value chain on the Copperbelt Province considering different dairy & goat production systems, cost of production by system and the existing dairy cattle & goat marketing channels to the end markets. It was meant to generate necessary primary data from selected districts in Heifer International Zambia (HIZ) SLMEP project domiciled and operational areas collate and analyse available secondary data to meet the study objectives. The study was basically intended to identify key areas of interventions in dairy and goat value chain by development institutions to enable smallholders to become one of the most significant actors capable of receiving benefits and proportionate share of the trade margins across the value chain in selected districts of Ndola, Kitwe, Kalulushi and Mufulira of the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. The data collection methods employed by the researcher were; Desk Review, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews respectively.