FARMER TRAINING CENTRE
Of
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF NAVRONGO-BOLGATANGA
In partnership with
MADISON DIOCESE
Progress report
DONKEY BREEDING PROJECT
For
July-September 2010
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The donkey project is aimed at supporting vulnerable women and households in the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese. The project seeks among other things the provision of training, donkeys and other traction accessories to build both the human and capital resources of beneficiaries to manage and sustain the support at both the household and community levels. It is in line with this that the Navrongo- Bolgatanga Diocese in partnership with Madison Diocese has established a Donkey Breeding Farm to provide stock for the beneficiaries to undertake traction. The purpose of the Breeding Farm is to ensure continuous availability of donkeys for the vulnerable women as the donkeys multiply by birth in numbers.
The project is in it second year of implementation as the first year saw a lot of activities such as the screening and purchasing of stock, the construction of pens and fence as well as mobilization of feed and vertinary care.
This report covers progress made on the project from July-September 2010.
2.0 KEY ISSUES AT THE FARM
2.1 Survival issues
The survival rate of the Donkey Farm have being encouraging since the Farm was established. We had few health problems ranging from ticks infestation to abscess, but with the regular visits of the Vertinary Officer those health problems previously encountered are minimized. However, the Farm experienced few cases of deaths during the early stage of stocking, thus five (5) deaths have been recorded over the period of establishment of the Farm. The deaths are attributed to the following;
· Change of environment- Some of the donkeys were purchased from different locations.
· Stress over transportation
2.2 Reproduction
One has given birth to a male and other seven (7) pregnant yet to give birth. The challenge had been due to stress leading to miscarriages the donkeys experienced during transportation when they were purchased. The donkeys are now relatively stable.
A male donkey which was reported to be ineffective had been sold and replaced.
2.3 Feed
Since the establishment of the Farm, the donkeys had been shepherded and provided with supplementary feed in the dry season. In the last dry season, supplementary feed mobilization included: Groundnut vines, soya vines, rice brand and cowpea vines for the season’s feeding.
2.4 Infrastructural issues
The construction of pens and the fence at the Farm has been completed and pens roofed. This has actually helped in reducing the health challenges we were facing and there has been pronounced improvement in the donkeys’ conditions. Electricity has also been extended to Farm and all the pens are connected. This has also helped a lot on the security situation at the Farm as well as allows the animal care in the night.
3.0 FINANCIAL REPORT
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REPORT ON INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR PERIOD ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2010 |
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INCOME |
GH¢ |
GH¢ |
|
|
Grant (20, 000 US$) |
|
27,440.00 |
|
|
Grant (10, 000 US$) |
|
13,991.17 |
|
|
|
41,431.17 |
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|
|
|
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EXPENDITURE |
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Allowances |
3,310.00 |
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Animal Drugs |
621.00 |
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|
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Construction-Pens & Store |
23,896.00 |
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Field Assessment |
1,865.00 |
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|
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Fuel & Lubricant (monitoring and evaluation) |
2,255.00 |
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|
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Extension-Electricity |
233.00 |
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|
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Repair and Maintenance - Motor |
183.00 |
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Vertinary |
646.00 |
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Stocking - Donkeys |
9,518.00 |
|
43,468.36 |
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Bank Charges & Diocesan levy (241.80+599.56) |
941.36 |
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(2,037.19) |
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Surplus |
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|
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4.0 FINANCIAL NEEDS FOR AUGUST-DECEMBER 2010
The table below gives the financial needs to enable the Donkey Breeding Project to operate for the next four (4) months.
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# |
Item/Activities |
Unit cost GH¢ |
Total cost (GHC) |
|
1 |
Medication – Drugs and Vertinary Officer’s allowance |
Medication- 100/month
Vertinary Officer- 50/month x 4months |
600.00 |
|
2 |
Feeding droughts |
300.00 x 4months |
1,200.00 |
|
3 |
Maintenance works |
50/month x 4months |
200.00 |
|
4 |
Personnel- 2 labourers monthly allowances |
50/month x 4months |
200.00 |
|
5 |
Project Coordinators’ monthly allowances |
300.00 x 4months |
1200.00 |
|
6 |
Collaborative meetings |
200/month x 4 months |
800.00 |
|
7 |
Administration- office running |
50/month x 4months |
200.00 |
|
8 |
Monitoring and evaluation |
100/month |
400.00 |
|
|
Ghana Cedis Total |
5,800.00 |
|
|
US Dollars |
4,200.00 |