Japan has signed a grant contract worth US$370,000 with World Vision Zambia to facilitate the implementation of the Magoye Community Dairy Project in Mazabuka
Ambassador to Zambia, Akio Egawa, said the grant will contribute to the enhancement of the organisation’s efforts to alleviate poverty and improve nutrition for vulnerable households through the project. This intervention is under the Japanese Grant Assistance for Japanese NGOs Scheme. From 2009 to 2010, World Vision Japan implemented Phase 1 of the same project which the Embassy of Japan also supported with financial assistance amounting to US$172 000.
“World Vision Japan has successfully established a community dairy scheme which provided vulnerable households with cows on loan,” said Egawa. “It also provided training in dairy farming so that the households can improve on the production of milk.”
The project also included veterinary training to members of the community so that they can assist the beneficiary households with maintenance of animal health. It is for this reason that the Government of Japan has decided to extend financial assistance to the organisation to enable it to continue with the project.
In Phase 2 of the project, World Vision Japan will endeavour to further strengthen the dairy farming capacity of the community, with more emphasis on ensuring sustainability. World Vision project manager Shoichi Yoshijima thanked the Government of Japan for the assistance it was giving to the vulnerable section of Zambian society.
Nawa Mutumweno
