Assessing the factors influencing milk production among small scale dairy farmers in Buyana village in Gomba district

Abstract

The dairy industry in Uganda contributes to about 9% of the country’s GDP and the dairy sector contributes to the nutritional, economic and employment opportunities of the rural communities with dairy farming being a major activity in the south western, central and North Eastern parts of the country. The aim of this study was to establish the factors influencing milk production among small scale dairy farmers in Buyana village. During this survey, data was collecting questionnaires, interviews and observations and all home steeds that were engaged in small scale dairy production were considered. In this study factors like animal breeds, age of the farmers, information accessibility and poor infrastructures were some of the major factors influencing milk production among small scale dairy farmers in the area. The study showed that females aged 36-45 years dominated the business, 40% of the farmers had an educational level of primary and below, 70% of the respondents were married and that 71.7 of the animals reared were crosses. I recommend that farmers should adopt other simple favorable methods of dairy farming. The government should therefore provide more extension services to the small scale dairy farmers.