In August 1993, MASHAV - the Centre for International Cooperation in the
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs - in cooperation with USAID and the
Ministry of Agriculture of El Salvador, established a dairy project in San
Salvador. The objective was the rehabilitation of the dairy sector,
following agrarian reforms in 1980, and the civil war, which ended in
1989.
After signing the peace agreements, it appeared that agricultural
production had drastically changed, as intensive agriculture had replaced
extensive agriculture. In the field of dairy cattle. basic changes in
production had to be made, and this was accomplished with the assistance
of a long-term Israeli expert and funds made available by USAID.
The first step undertaken was to train appropriate local instructors. This
was done through the use of modem technologies, befitting the climate and
the commercial environment of the country. The extensive rehabilitation of
a number of ranches, willing to cooperate in this endeavour, was also
undertaken.
Training was carried out on-site by an Israeli expert, in cooperation with
8 local instructors who received professional training, and participated
in MASHAV courses conducted in Israel. These 8 instructors, together with
one economist, constitute the core group of the project. Each person is
responsible for a specific region where the training received is
implemented, and when necessary, adequate investments are made. Thus
productivity is increased, creating gains instead of losses, as has been
the case in the past.
The project conducts field days for demonstration and illustration
purposes in different dairy farms. Farmers and technicians from the area
are invited, as well as prominent figures from the local political arena
and the media. The President of the Republic himself took part in two of
these field excursions.
Training
Courses are delivered at the National School for Agriculture, in the
department for dairy cattle, and guided tours are carried out for
interested local farmers. Until now, some 150 farmholds have benefitted
from this training programme throughout the country. Salaries and
transportation for the local instructors are provided by the Salvadorean
Ministry of Agriculture.
The dairy project is concerned with training at all stages of production;
conservation and marketing of milk - from sucklings to marketing. The
major subjects of the courses include:
Conservation of fodder by the silage of corn and sorghum;
Reducing heat for milk cows, and the whole herd in general, to a more
comfortable climate;
Raising cattle until young heifers are born.
1. Growing and Silage of Sorghum and Corn
During the silage season, there is a great deal of rainfall, thus
preventing the use of agricultural machinery. It is therefore necessary to
adapt working patterns and mowing in order to produce the best quality
silage, in spite of rough climatic conditions. Technology was slow to
develop and included a large amount of manpower, but very little
investment in machinery. The principal investment consisted in high
quality mowers and teaching how to dig the right silage excavations,
adapted to the size of the herd and field.
2. Tropical heat
Milk cows in tropical areas suffer day and night from the heat (although
during the night temperature falls by a few degrees, but on the other hand
humidity rises). It was also imperative to find a solution to overcoming
the year round high temperature and to develop adequate measures by
methods that were previously unknown.
3. Cattle raising as replacement to the milk cows
In order to exploit the genetic potential contained in the various breeds
of milk cows, proper technology was adapted to allow cows to gestate
before the age of two, an accomplishment that was considered impossible in
the past. In some cattle-sheds, milk production was trebled due to the
introduction of modem technologies developed in the country. Although most
of the milking is still done by hand, the project has succeeded in
introducing in some 30 ranches mechanical milking - from milking directly
into the bucket, using a mobile machine, as well as the use of more
sophisticated and modern milking implements imported from Israel.
The MASHAV-USAID programme aspires to address key agricultural issues,
promote economic endeavours, as well as international cooperation. It
reflects Israel's commitment and dedication to share with others
appropriate technologies, know-how, human resource training and practical
experience gained in agricultural and rural development, adapted to each
country's specific needs and the relevant conditions of its agronomy.