Milk Production and Processing in the Agropastoral Region of Senegal: Case of Kolda Suburban Area

Abstract

Setting up private dairy cowsheds on the outskirts of large urban centers has been encouraged in Senegal since 1982. This was thus the case for Kolda region. A study was carried out from May to September 2000 to analyze dairy production. To analyze the various production stages the study combined the method of partial budget at the production level and a participatory diagnosis with 114 participants. Only 3% of dairy cows were partially housed during the dry season in spite of several years of popularizing work. The partial budget analysis did show, nevertheless, that the operation was profitable. After deducting the part of autoconsumption, it generated an income of 17,532 FCFA or 8907 FCFA per cow, depending on whether the producers sold the milk themselves or not. Most of the milk production was transformed traditionally (curds and butter oil). The craft transformation units in the area, including a cheese factory, absorbed only 13% of the production in the dry season and 8% in the rainy season. Access to large markets was limited by the fact that the storage life of products pasteurized by these units could not be guaranteed beyond one week. Constraints and opportunities were analyzed at every level with the aim of improving dynamics of dairy production.