The Practical Dairy Training Centre in Eldoret started in 2014 at the Baraka Farm. PDTC-Eldoret provides vocational skills training in dairy husbandry to small holder farmers. The facilities are of excellent standard and the training focusses on gaining practical skills that can be immediately implemented on the farms of the small holder farmer. Both the large scale farm and the small holder unit (zero grazing unit) give a real life experience of how management on a day to day basis is planned, organized and executed.

1. PRACTICAL DAIRY TRAINING CENTRE ELDORET(PDTC)

2. ABOUT US
Practical Dairy Training Centre Eldoret was started as a project of Lewa Children’s Home Trust which is a charitable non- governmental organization. Since 2003, more than 10,000 guests from all over East Africa have visited Baraka Farm. These guests were farmers, livestock officers, students etc.
Phyllis Keino (director of LCH and BF) and Jos Creemers (manager) developed a plan to have the small-holder zero-grazing demonstration unit turned into a small training Centre for so called smallholder farmers. The management of Lewa Children’s Home (LCH) realized the need to improve the skills of small scale farmers on practical dairy production. LCH set aside 2.5 acres of the farm to establish practical dairy training center (PDTC) where relevant demonstrations can be done.

3. OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES
We offer a five (5) day training course that starts on Monday and ends on Friday. Our training is highly practical during the 5 days. It includes 60%practical and 40 % theoretical approach. Thecourse is taught through the following modules.
•Feeding
•Napier Grass Management
•Housing
•Calf Rearing
•Milk Technique and Hygiene

4. -Wehavedevelopedourowncurriculumandteachingmaterialswhicharefocusingonthetargetgroup'smallscalefarmers' .Teachingmaterialsweredevelopedforthese8-10modules.Wemanagedtodevelop5fullmodules,Eachteachingmoduleexistsof4-6pages,theteachingmaterialishandedouttothestudentsanditcanbetakenhomewiththestudentsattheendofthecourse.
-Theotherthreemodules;Fertility,Farmrecordkeepingandanimalhealtharealmostreadyandwillbeusedinthebeginningof2015.

5. PRACTICAL SESSION AT THE
ZERO GRAZING UNIT
SESSION
DISCUSSION SESSION AT THE
ZERO GRAZING UNIT

6. THEORY SESSION IN THE CLASSROOM
PDTC TRAINER (MARTIN) TAKING FARMERS THROUGH THE PRACTICAL SESSION AT THE ZERO GRAZING UNIT

7. MARKETING STRATEGIES
Trainers during a practical
session at our dairy unit being facilitated by Mr.JurjenDraaijer

8. FACILITIES AVAILABLE
-ZERO GRAZING UNIT.
At the zero grazing unit, one can see Napier grass, and a 'protein bank' Protein rich crops which can be used to contribute to ratio of the cow. The zero grazing unit makes use of appropriate technologyaimed at low input farming and a gradual improvement of genetic potential of the cows available at the small holder farmers unit and a gradual improvement of the fodder and feeds available. -
ZERO GRAZING UNIT

9. NAPIER GRASS AT THE ZG UNIT
FODDER CROPS AT THE ZG UNIT

10. Other Facilities available to conduct the training
1.Class room is available with chairs and tables.
2.Video and TV screen are available
3.Accommodation (boarding and lodging) for participants is available.
DINING ROOM

11. ONE OF OUR ROOMS
CLASSROOM WITH TV SET

12. The Baraka Farm has 80 Holstein Friesian dairy cows which are studbook registered. The young stock rearing unit is a modern zero grazing system which achieves high growth rates.

13. COWS AT THE DAIRY UNIT
READY TO BE MILKED
MILKING PARLOUR

14. MALE, 82%,
FEMALE, 18%,
FARMERS TRAINED AS AT 1ST AUGUST 2014
MALE
FEMALE
As at 1stAugust PDTC-Eldorethas trained 118 farmers/
trainers who includes; 21 female (18%) and 97 Male (82%)from different counties countrywide. This includes; 6% self sponsored, 89% SNV sponsored and 5% LCH Sponsored.

15. BARINGO14%
UASIN GISHU, 44%
MERU9%
NYANDARUA5%
POKOT7%
KAKAMEGA3%
ELGEYO MARAKWET7%
HOMABAY2%
NAKURU9%
FARMERS TRAINED PER COUNTY
BARINGO
UASIN GISHU
MERU
NYANDARUA
POKOT
KAKAMEGA
ELGEYO MARAKWET
HOMABAY
NAKURU

16. Riftvalley71%
western5%
Nyanza2%
Eastern 14%
Central8% FARMERS ATTENDANCE ACCORDING TO PROVINCES
Riftvalley
western
Nyanza
Eastern
Central

17. Trainers11%
small scaleFarmers70%
Large scale Farmers15%
students4%
FARMERS/TRAINERS
Trainers
small scaleFarmers
Large scale Farmers
students

18. FEB15%
MARCH18%
APRIL9%
MAY22%
JUNE18%
JULY18%
MONTHLY ATTENDANCE
FEB
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY

19. CHALLENGES WE ENCOUNTER
•Sharing of resources with the home
•Most potential trainees prefer one day
training
•Marketing
•Certificate of attendance

20. Our marketing strategies include;
•Designing and distribution of Brochures/ fliers
•Sharing information on Social media i.e. Facebook, twitter, you tube
•TV, News paper
•NGO's like SNV, heifer international, one acre fund etc.
•Milk processing companies KCC, Brookside, Buzekietc.
•Possible in the future, livestock breeders show, Eldoret show, KLPA(Kenya Livestock Producers Association) field days etc.
•Word of mouth

21. THE END
PRESENTATION PREPARED BY ANN & MARTIN