World Ark Magazine - March/April 2008 - (Page 29) the farms, chilling plants, transportation lines, Heifer’s proposal to generate higher quality milk processors, sales outlets and finally milk from improved cows and a collection the consumer. system that accommodates poor farmers struck “What we have observed,” said Grote, “is that, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as a although there may need to be strengthening successful way to help people in East Africa over the entire chain, there is usually one block- improve their income and nutrition, which age point that is preventing some people from would lead to better education, housing, health having access to markets. So this proposal fits care and quality of life. perfectly within our strategy because it addresses “Heifer makes a good partner for the Bill & chilling plants, which is the key blockage point Melinda Gates Foundation,” Dr. Goedde said. that keeps smallholder farmers from earning “Heifer is obviously one of the leading organizahigher incomes.” tions doing this in the world, Dr. Lutz Goedde, senior and we’re very happy to program officer in agriculturpartner with Heifer for their al development at the Bill & reach.” Melinda Gates Foundation, Jo Luck, president and also praised the project for CEO of Heifer said, “The addressing the entire value foundation’s support and chain. “It targets everything recognition of our valuesfrom getting animals to people based model, and the size and improving the quality of and scope of the project, take animals and animal-husbandry Heifer to a new level in our practices to actually having a market for the endeavors to help the poor overcome poverty. products the animals are producing. Farmers We’re proud to have been selected by the Bill & can produce more milk or more crops but then Melinda Gates Foundation and appreciate the there is no market for them. But in this project confidence placed in our work.” we are making sure that the additional products The East Africa Dairy Development project that are produced by the farmers can generate will be administered by Heifer’s Africa Program better incomes.” staff at its Little Rock, Ark., headquarters and by its in-country staff in Kenya, Rwanda Gender Equity and Uganda. East Africa Dairy Development project will: • Expand dairy markets and increase market access for small farmers • Increase dairy productivity and efficiency • Ensure steady, costeffective supply of goods and services to farmers and farmer groups “We believe agriculture is important to help people come out of poverty.” Critical to Success Heifer’s EADD project also has a gender component that ensures the participation of women, not only as participants but as leaders in the business associations. This suits not only Heifer’s cornerstone value of gender equity, but the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s focus on the 1 billion people living on less than a dollar a day, of whom a disproportionate number are women. “We believe agriculture is important to help people come out of poverty. That is the underlying paradigm,” Goedde said. “Livestock is an important part of that area because a lot of the people engaged in it are women, especially in subSaharan Africa. Women are the livestock keepers.” Two young Rwandan children benefit from milk produced by Heifer-provided cows. Families can use money earned by selling extra milk to send their children to school. www.heifer.org WORLD ARK 29 http://www.heifer.org
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