Demo farm for knowledge dissemination
22-06-2018Baringo Agricultural Marketing Services Cooperative Society limited (BAMSCOS) in Kenya is an umbrella organisation formed in August 2012 by nineteen dairy cooperatives in Baringo County.
BAMSCOS is bulking approximately 35,000kgs of milk per day with a total daily milk turnover of Kshs. 1,435,000. Total active membership stand at 11,557.
The main goal for the formation of BAMSCOS was to facilitate the farmers' access to profitable markets for their farm produce, provision of production support services and championing farmers' interest through advocacy.
The formal partnership between Agriterra and BAMSCOS relationship started in 2016. The partnership focusses on strengthening the organisation to be sustainable in the long term through governance and financial management interventions, improving farm level production and supporting BAMSCOS in successful implementation of their business; value addition to milk by processing instead of only bulking and marketing.
The main goal for the formation of BAMSCOS was to facilitate the farmers' access to profitable markets for their farm produce, provision of production support services and championing farmers' interest through advocacy.
The formal partnership between Agriterra and BAMSCOS relationship started in 2016. The partnership focusses on strengthening the organisation to be sustainable in the long term through governance and financial management interventions, improving farm level production and supporting BAMSCOS in successful implementation of their business; value addition to milk by processing instead of only bulking and marketing.
Demonstration farm
To realise the business ambitions of BAMSCOS, expanding the quantity and quality of milk production and delivery by the members is key. For the coming years, this will be the main focus of collaboration with Agriterra. BAMSCOS members usually suffer a lot during the dry months as milk fluctuates to even a low of 6000 litres per day.
To realise the business ambitions of BAMSCOS, expanding the quantity and quality of milk production and delivery by the members is key. For the coming years, this will be the main focus of collaboration with Agriterra. BAMSCOS members usually suffer a lot during the dry months as milk fluctuates to even a low of 6000 litres per day.
Therefore, for tangible gains to be realised and more quality milk to be produced, farmers have to adopt modern farming practices. It became increasingly clear that there was a huge demand for a model/demo farm where all the members/farmers of BAMSCOS can learn from and emulate it.
Together with Agriterra this demonstration farm was realised in 2017/ 2018.
The demonstration farm serves as a learning place for the members and it is expected that in the future also trainings will take place nearby. The demonstration shows irrigated and non-irrigated fodder growing techniques and various quality fodder varieties. Maintenance of the demonstration plot is taken care of by BAMSCOS. The produced fodder and forage is sold to the members and the income is used to sustain the demo plot.
The demonstration farm serves as a learning place for the members and it is expected that in the future also trainings will take place nearby. The demonstration shows irrigated and non-irrigated fodder growing techniques and various quality fodder varieties. Maintenance of the demonstration plot is taken care of by BAMSCOS. The produced fodder and forage is sold to the members and the income is used to sustain the demo plot.
