ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF DAIRYING IN SMALLHOLDER FARMING SYSTEMS

Intensive dairy production increases competition for labour in the existing farming system because dairying is more labour intensive than most of other farm activities. Also there will be competition for other scarce resources especially land in the peri- urban areas with the existing crop enterprises. Without proper information on alternative choices of enterprises and farming systems, the capacity of smallholder farmers to make appropriate decisions on how to allocate scarce land and labour resources is impeded. This book, therefore, attempts to identify and recommend enterprises and farming systems choices that can be adopted by smallholder dairy producers to increase productivity, profitability and competitiveness under varied market access.