Jica trains dairy farmers in silage making

Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) today trained dairy farmers from Mpemba Bulking Group in Blantyre in silage making.

The training, which brought together about 100 dairy farmers from the bulking group, was co-organised by Blantyre District Agriculture Office.

Trainer, Jica senior volunteer Dr Shigeru Nishida, said dairy farmers can make good profits from their investments if they kept enough food for their animals ahead of the lean season.

“Every rainy season there is a lot of grass in Malawi which farmers can take advantage of by making enough silage for their diary animals,” he said.

Shigeru said silage is more nutritious than maize stalks which most dairy farmers provide to their animals during the dry season.

“In the dry season, cattle feed tends to lack proteins, minerals and vitamins. This negatively affects milk yield.

“Preserving green grass in the rainy season in form of silage is the most effective way of feeding cattle with nutritious feed and addressing these challenges,” he said

Shigeru has been working with Blantyre District Agriculture Development Office since July 2014.

Mpemba Milk Bulking Group chair Margaret Nguluwe thanked Jica for the training, saying feed consumes a lot of their income.

“With the training, we expect to reduce on money we have been spending on feed, thereby maximising our profits,” she said.