Maziwa Zaidi (More Milk) in Tanzania: Best-bet
Technologies and Innovations
Agent Network Model (ANM) for extension
Elizaphan James O. Rao
Key messages and solutions
• Knowledge on husbandry practices is needed to enhance
productivity of smallholder dairy farmers
• ANM approach leverages village-level agents that are a link
between agro-dealers and farmers
• Qualified personnel (AHAs, extension personnel, etc.) are
engaged as agents of agro-dealers; agents train farmers, thus
creating demand for agro-dealer products
• Agents bulk orders from farmers and coordinate delivery, saving
farmers time and costs of individual transactions
• Agents are paid commission for volumes of sales; thus are
incentivized to offer trainings that generate demand
Opportunities and benefits
• For agro-dealers: Increased sales, improved management of
stock and expansion of market share, all leading to profitability.
• For service providers: earning additional income from
commission and strengthening business ties with farmers; value
add to farmer-clients
• Farmers: Improved knowledge on husbandry practices and cost
savings – bulking orders (discounts) and shared transport cost
Needed: Strategic alliance between a business-focused agro-dealer
& qualified service provider/extension agent with access to
geographically clustered farmers – possibly via a Cooperative
Pictures
Suitability
• Where cooperatives have with members clustered across villages that
are located far from market centers where agro-dealers are found
• Where service providers (AHAs, AISPs) are already linked to farmers
via service provision; therefore ANM is a value add
• In emerging dairy areas where farmers are beginning to appreciate
the value of improved husbandry
Evidence
• Evidence show that ANM approach reduces transaction costs
of procuring inputs by farmers
• ANM is also effective in enhancing the knowledge base of
farmers on animal husbandry leading to increased productivity
• The model also delivers more value to agro-dealers; creating
more demand for their products
This document has a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. October 2019
Problem statement
• General lack of knowledge on important husbandry practices;
hence low use of appropriate technologies by farmers
• Moreover, higher transaction cost of procuring inputs
individually – time and transport costs spent by individual
farmers scattered in remote villages
• This discourages use of appropriate technologies and
husbandry practices leading to low productivity and inefficient
value chains
Maziwa Zaidi thanks all donors and organizations which globally support the work of ILRI and its partners through their contributions to the CGIAR system
Resource requirements (low to high, between 1 and 5)
Land
Water
Labour
Cash
Access to inputs
Knowledge and skills
Impact areas (low to high, between 1 and 5)
Food security
Nutrition and food safety
Youth empowerment
Women empowerment
Livelihoods
Market access and linkages
Outcome difficulty (low to high, between 1 and 5)
Business profitability
Environmental sustainability
Youth empowerment
Women empowerment