GULU, July 31, 2024 – At least 300 farmers from two cooperatives in Patiko Subcounty, Gulu district have been trained to make yogurt at home, and earn more money from dairy farming.
The dairy farmers under Pawel Angany Cooperative Society Limited, and Patiko Kal Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited were trained by officials from Entebbe Veterinary Training School in partnership with Dairy Development Authority [DDA] last week.
Dr. Herbert Oroma, an expert from Entebbe Veterinary Training School told the farmers that for the yogurt to be of quality, the milk should be free of contaminants.
Rev. Peter Oloya, Chairperson of Patiko Kal Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited welcomed the the yogurt making training, saying it has opened their eyes to making more money from the dairy enterprise.
“Before the training, even members were not drinking milk, we were satisfied with drinking dry tea. But the training challenged us to start consuming milk and also encourage other people to consume milk,” he said.
Rev. Oloya added that, “we had a poor arrangement where we would give Balaalo[herdsmen] to take care of the animals for us in exchange for milk from the cow. We were treating cows like pets, almost like dogs without benefitting much. Sometimes you wait for even six years before you can earn from an animal.”
He said farmers have now acquired better dairy breeds for milk production, and should be able to satisfy the local yogurt market.
The cooperative currently has a store at Patiko trading centre where they have a refrigerator to store milk and yoghurt for sale as they plan for rehabilitation of an old milk collection centre.
“We have an old milk collection center in Patiko trading center which was built during President Obote’s regime. We would like government to help us improve it so that we can make good use of it,” said Oloya.
He also revealed that the coop members who are over 50 in number have embarked on growing pasture to feed the cows in a bid to get more milk for yogurt production.
Meanwhile, Robert Sam Opwonya, General Secretary of Pawel Angany Cooperative Society Limited said improved dairy production will help improve livelihoods of their members.
He said the cooperative which was established in 1963 and collapsed during the insurgency before being revived in 2014 had been mainly dependent on crop farming for livelihood.
“This cooperative was started by our great grandfathers and members have been growing maize, rice, sun flower, sorghum and cotton but many of our members have now embraced dairy farming,” he said.
The cooperative has a total of 260 farmers.
Patrick Komakech, the Local Council Three Chairperson of Patiko Subcounty was happy that the yogurt making training, saying it will improve earnings for the cooperative farmers.
“Our farmers are going to reap more if they engage in yogurt making. They will be in position to pay their children’s school fees and have a good standard of living,” Komakech said.
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