Reaping big from goat dairy farming

Barbara Budeme Buyinza grazing her dairy goats. From three goats that she started with, today she has more than 50. Photo by Joan Salmon.

What you need to know:

focused. Barbara Budeme Buyinza started out as an employee, but later ventured into dairy goat farming, a project she has undertaken for 10 years. She shared her farming journey with Joan Salmon

At the age of six, Budeme watched her grandmother milking local goats that produced milk daily. But it never occurred to her that there were goats that were reared, specifically for milk production.
While at university, she met a couple from Virginia, USA that introduced her to dairy goats. As luck would have it, Buyinza, a student of Food Science and Technology, then, was what an NGO in search of a candidate with a background in milk production needed.
After joining the team at Watoto Child Care Ministries, Buyinza was tasked to set up a goat dairy project, to produce enough milk for the children it looked after as well as earn extra income through selling goat milk.Having worked with the NGO for five years, from 2009 to 2014, she acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience that sparked off her business idea of rearing dairy goats.
“After resigning, I purposed to give up on formal jobs because I had learnt a lot from the various agricultural project activities. I was optimistic that if I started my own goat project, I would earn a living,” Buyinza shares her inspiration for self-employment.
However, her plans did not materialise immediately. When some clients learnt of her exit, they looked for her to help them establish goat dairy farm projects, work that she did for two years.

How she started
“I was making money but there was a gap I needed to fill. I spent a lot of time and skills assisting people to set up goat farms yet I had none in my name. The people I worked for constantly asked to visit my farm,”
In order to create a demonstration farm, a learning centre and a source for dairy goat breeds, Buyinza made baby steps towards starting up her own project.
She started with Shs2m from savings accrued from her former workplace. “I constructed a simple structure and started with only three goats. They multiplied, produced milk which I sold and bought more goats.”
Currently, Buyinza has 50 goats and could have had more but has kept selling them off. A healthy dairy goat costs between Shs500,000 and Shs800,000, especially an exotic breed.

Why dairy goats
“Few people know about dairy goats as a lucrative business. Many wonder whether the goats produce enough milk or whether the milk is good for human consumption,” she says.
Given her background, it was an opportunity for Buyinza to sensitise people about goat milk as one of the excellent meals for weaning babies as well as revitalising the lives of malnourished children.
According to Buyinza, goat milk is easily digestible protein and fat, has lots of calcium, recommended for children and the elderly. During the first month, Buyinza received several questions from neighbours and other farmers, who wanted to learn about dairy goat farming. To date, many people visit her farm to learn about the goats.
“The business is less competitive. And the icing on the cake are the proceeds I make from dairy goat farming “While a litre of cow milk goes for Shs3,000, a litre of raw goat milk is worth Shs8000.”

Marketing
Buyinza says she has intentionally decided not to advertise her goat milk. “My goal is to meet my clients’ goat milk needs. It is not advisable for one to take on a contract to supply a product whose demand they cannot meet. I value business integrity.”

Future
Buyinza’s desire is to advance the idea of goat dairy farming as a way of sharing knowledge. She also wants to ride on her background in food, science and technology to venture into processing.
“I want to add value to goat milk by producing cheese, yoghurt, creams and beauty products. However, that can only happen if I have extra milk. The current orders for goat milk are already overwhelming. I want to start goat breeding. I have imported 10 dairy goats, which will work as my parent stock for breeding.”
While some consider farming as a hobby, Buyinza is in it for business. “My dairy goats must pay me a monthly salary, as well as pay salaries of workers and buy daily goat feeds.”

Achievements
Buyinza prides in sharing knowledge about goat dairy farming.
“From dairy goat farming, I have constructed a standard structure with a milking room with the capacity to handle more than 100 goats.”
The by-products of goats are used as fertilisers for her land, making it favourable for passion fruits, plantain and matooke. I am able to produce desirable bunches for sale.”

challenges
“Finding genuine dairy breeds here in Uganda is a challenge. Some farmers are cross breeding them with other breeds, which compromises milk production,” she says.
There is a misconception that goat milk has a “he-goat smell.” She attributes this to poor farm management and emphasises that goat milk is healthy for human consumption.
The goats also have to be supplemented with concentrates (dairy meal) daily and when prices for feeds go up, farmers hardly make profits.
Dfcu mentorship
Buyinza joined dfcu women in business club, two years ago where she has obtained financial literacy skills.
“It is encouraging to know that you are walking the business jouney with someone. Through women in business club, I have met focused businesswomen and several clients that buy my goat milk.”

Advice
Besides land and money to invest in a farm project, it takes wisdom and the right people to reap from agriculture.. Do not wait to start when you have a lot, start and allow your project to grow.