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Milk production on the Toukounouss farm in Niger has more than doubled thanks to innovations supportedby the Programme de Productivité Agricole en Afrique de l'Ouest (PPAAO).

"Milk production per cow has almost doubled since the launch of the PPAAO project," said Professor Moumouni Issa of the Faculty of Science at Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, the capital of Niger.

The government of Niger has invested heavily in research and development in recent years as part of efforts to increase local milk production and reduce dairy product imports.

PPAAO funding has enabled researchers to carry out a number of research activities, including crossing the famous Azawak native cow species with exotic cows from Italy and France. The results have been very positive.

Experts claim thatazawak have uniquecharacteristics that facilitate their adaptation to Niger's rather harsh climate. Scientific evidence also shows that azawak can produce between 5 and 15 liters of milk per day under favorable conditions. They are also excellent meat producers.

Thanks to WAPP funding, which included the purchase of laboratory equipment, researchers at Toukounous Ranch were not only able to carry out crucial genetic research, they also took steps to conserve local breeds through a semen conservation system that can last over 40 years.

"PPAAO has supported us by building infrastructure, while providing us with essential equipment that enables us to carry out artificial insemination," adds Professor Moumouni.

Milk production still below demand

Although Niger has a long cultural history linked to livestock farming, this West African country still imports a substantial quantity of dairy products every year. According to available data, the country produces 1,002 million liters of milk a year, against a requirement of 63.8 liters (inhabitant/per year).

More specifically, WAAPP has supported the Toukounous farm in the following areas:

• The creation of a modern farm ;
• Semen collection and packaging;
• Building equipment ;
• A training room ;
• Four (04) generators;
• A field vehicle ;
• Refurbishment of our animal barn and laboratory;
• Laboratory construction ;
• Artificial insemination equipment and consumables ;
• The creation of a master's degree in animal production at the Faculty of Agronomy.

Challenges

On modern dairy farms, animals are divided into different units, depending on their age, nutritional requirements, reproductive status and milk production. The dairy herd, a group of cows currently in lactation, is often managed more intensively to ensure that its diet and environmental conditions favor the production of as much high-quality milk as possible.

"Most of what we do here is extensive farming. It's very difficult. We don't have all the conditions for intensive farming. And this represents a major challenge for us in that it slows down our production levels," said Prof. Moumouni."

"There's a lot of demand, but we can't meet 100% of it," adds Mr. Amadou Barthé, Director of Toukounouss Ranch.

Regional livestock specialization center makes decisive progress

The PPAAO set up nine specialization centers in its early days. Niger agreed to carry out research on livestock breeding in West Africa.

To date, the center is on the verge of becoming a Regional Center of Excellence (RCE).

See also:

• New researchers" revitalize livestock research in Niger
• A budding researcher whose sole ambition is to increase milk production in Niger