Poster prepared by Kebebe Ergano and Konjit Mussie for the Agrifood chain toolkit conference: Livestock and fish value chains in East Africa, Kampala, 9-11 September 2013.

1. Benefits of Farmer Entrepreneurs
Based Heifer Multiplication Model
• Reduce cost, effort and time
• Improves access to crossbred dairy
heifers
• Compatible with farmers’ customary
livestock management skills
• Suitable for harmonizing technical and
business trainings
• Opens business opportunity to local
farmers
• Create learning environment
Motivation
• Excessive population of low yielding
indigenous cattle
• Acute shortage of crossbred dairy cows
• Past dairy heifer multiplication models have
been ineffective
• We present a promising business model
based on experience of a famer entrepreneur
who raised 200 calves in 2 years using 2
Holstein-Friesian bulls in Ethiopia
Farmer Entrepreneurs Based Dairy Heifer Multiplication Model
for Africa
Kebebe Ergano and Konjit Mussie
Way forward: The Role of Business Model
Canvas
Farmer Entrepreneurs Based Heifer
Multiplication Model
• Uses farmer entrepreneurs to multiply
crossbred heifers using grade dairy bulls
• Smallholder farmers multiply heifers for
profit
• Dairy farmers in urban centers buy
crossbred heifers locally
• Research and extension system use
famer entrepreneurs for integration of
technical and business interventions
Costs/Benefits of The New Model (in 16
months)
Costs
• Cost of bulls & cows
• Purchased feeds, veterinary,
utilities and supplies
• Other expenses
Benefits
• Sale of 5 female crossbred calves
• Sale of 5 male crossbred calves
• Bull service charges
Past Dairy Heifer Multiplication Models
• Multiplication of heifers in government
ranches for distribution to farmers
• Crossbreeding indigenous cows using
government artificial insemination services
• Crossbreeding indigenous cows using
community owned grade bulls
• Importing and distributing crossbred dairy
cows
ETB 62,500
ETB 110,000
Net benefit=47,500
Key partners Key
activities
Key
resources
Value
proposition
Customer
relations
Channels
Custome
r
segments
Cost structure Revenue streams
Contact email: kebeberg@yahoo.com