The Donkey Breeding Project is a follow up of the phase one project in 2005 which supported 50 women with donkeys and accessories to assist the beneficiaries’ households’ transportation, early land preparation and income generation activities. This support is under the Madison and Navrongo-Bolgatanga global partnership arrangement.

In 2009, the Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese made a follow up trip to Madison Diocese in the USA and secured a US$ 20,000 for the continuation of the donkey project. The amount is meant for the purchase of parent stock female and male donkeys for breeding. This current project is on donkey breeding aimed at establishing and stocking a donkey farm in the first year. The project will subsequently mobilize and train the beneficiaries in the second year, and finally support the trained beneficiaries in the third year.

As the donkey stock increases in number they would be given out to beneficiaries who are identified and trained. The beneficiaries would be expected to provide good accommodation or housing and better husbandry practices for the donkeys. 

Furthermore,

The Donkey Breeding Project started in August, 2009 with the following activities executed within this reporting period.

Construction of Stores and pens: The construction of the stores and pens are under way. The work is expected to be complete by the ending of December, 2009.

Construction of fence: The fence work is complete and the donkeys are protected

The staff of the Farmer Training Centre Staff in collaboration with Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) screened and purchased some good breeding stock. The selection of the breeding stock was done by a veterinary officer from the MOFA Office.  The stock level at the farm is 42 females and 2 males for the breeding programme.. The donkeys were also dewormed and treated on arrival at the farm.

The FTC is currently mobilizing groundnuts and soybeans vines feed for the donkeys during the lean season of January to May.  

A documentary and a report is being developed and compiled on the activities, successes and challenges of the phase one project.

The FTC has also arranged with a vertinary Officer to visit the farm once every month. The vertinary Officer is also on call on emergency cases.

The FTC has also started collaboration on the Farm with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the University for Development Studies for community development and student learning.

The Farm also plans to embark on traction training for local farmers located around the farm as a way of assisting other farmers not directly linked to the project.