NAVRONGO –BOLGATANGA DIOCESE AND MADISON DIOCESE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
PROGRESS REPORT
(APRIL - JUNE 2010)
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Donkey Breeding farm is collaboration between the Madison Diocese and the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese in an effort to support in a sustainable livelihood for vulnerable beneficiary women or households in the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese.
The project envisage to support beneficiaries from 2011 and this will be sustained over years through the donkey breeding project, while the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese and Madison Diocese in the Partnership arrangement will provide the necessary trainings and accessories to build both the human and capital resource based of the beneficiaries to manage and sustain the support at the household levels.
Madison Diocese provided 10,000 dollars for the completion of the Donkey Breeding Farm and to start community work towards beneficiaries support.
This report therefore covers activities of the project for the second quarter of 2010.
2.0 ACTIVITIES
2.1 Construction of Stores and pens
The construction of the donkey stores and pens are complete is about 98 % complete. The work left to be done on the building is fixing of doors and window netting.
2.2 Feeding
Due the cropping season that most farmers are sowing or preparing their land for crop production, the donkeys are shepherded around to graze on uncultivated lands.
2.3 Health/Medical Care
A vertinary Officer visits the Farm about twice every month, and also on a standby on emergency cases to handle treatment. Within this stipulated period the following cases were experienced.
· Skin infections
· Diarrhoea
· Abscess
· Tick infestation
The treatments given were:
· Ivomic injection
· Dipping with ascaricides
· Antibiotic injection
· Application of ink spray
2.4 Reproduction
Ten (10) females’ donkeys are visibly pregnant and about five (5) other females are showing signs of pregnancy but not confirmed.
2.5 Collaborations
The Farm has collaborated with the University for Development Studies for students to have practical experiential learning. The Farm is also working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to encourage more of Donkey traction which is a recommended land preparation method for the type of soils in the Upper East Region.
2.6 Field visits and identification of beneficiaries.
The initial field visits have been carried out to identify the project beneficiaries for training and prepare them towards future support.
2.7. Finalization of video tape
A video tape on the Donkey Project phase one and the breeding Farm is edited and would be send to our partners.
3.0 ACHEIVEMENTS
- Donkey Farm established and about 95 % complete
- Donkey farm stores and pens construction about 98 % complete
- 2 Labourers available to shepherd donkey during the raining season and to ensure security of the animals.
- Two Community Based Organizations and 3 Farmer Groups visit the Farm during the period for practical experience and learning.
- Two preliminary field visits carried out to identify donkey beneficiaries for training and support in 2011.
- One student from the University for Development Studies- Faculty of Agriculture and another Bolgatanga Polytechnic Ecological Agricultural student on attachment for practical learning.
- Video tape on Donkey project being finalised
4.0 CHALLENGES
· The need to extend electricity to the Farm to ensure security
· The need for a refrigerator for storage of medication
· The need to replace one of the male donkeys which is seen to be ineffective during mating.
5.0 WAYFORWARD
· Arrangement are made to sell and to replace the ineffective male
· Arrangements are also made to provide electricity at the Farm.
Conclusion:
On the whole, the project is making in-roads into the donkey breeding and hope to be able to supply to women in the coming year.
There is therefore the need to make funds available for the next stage of the project and also prepare towards the training of the women.