Questionnaire for the Dairy Baseline Survey in Malawi

THE SURVEY IS BEING CONDUCTED BY BUNDA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND

SCOTTISH RURAL COLLEGE

INTRODUCTION

Good (morning, afternoon). My name is __________. I am conducting a study concerning dairy production
issues in your neighbourhood on behalf of Bunda College. The aim of this study is to understand dairy
production systems, marketing and identify problems you encounter in your enterprise. This study will be
conducted in all milk-shed areas throughout the country. While the general conclusions of the study may be
used to help formulate government policy recommendations for improving dairy production in the country, all
the specific information about you, your family and undertakings will be treated confidentially. We hope that
you will be willing to help us in this study.

MAWU OYAMBA

Dzina langa ndi__________________. Tafika mdela lanu lino pakafukufuku amene tikupanga wokhudza ulimi
wa ng’ombe za mkaka mmalo mwa sukulu yazaulimi ku Bunda.Cholinga cha kafukufukuyi ndi kufuna kudziwa
za mmene ntchito ynu ikuyendera, mmene mumagulitsira mkaka wanu ndinso mavuto amene mumakomana
nawo. Kafukufukuyi achitika mmalo momnse momwe amalandilira mkaka mdziko lonse lino. Ngakhale kuti
zomwe mutiyankhe zithandiza boma kukonza ndondomeko zothandizira alimi an ng’ombe za mkaka kuno ku
Malawi, zomwe mutiuze zokhudza inu, banja lanu ndinso zomwe mumachita pakhomo panu, zidzasungidwa
mwachinsisi. Chonde khalani okasuka kutiuza zonse mukudziwa ndi zomwe mumachita zokhuza ulimi wanu.

Enumerator’s Name: …….......................................................

Date of Interview (DD/MM/YY): ……..... /…….......……/ 2012

Time Started:………..…………… Time Ended:…………………………..

Cross-checked by (Enumerator’s Name)………………………………………………….

Final check by (Supervisor’s Name): …………………………………………….……….

Date Checked (DD/MM/YY): ……………………………..... /…….….......……/ 2012

MODULES:

Module 1: Basic Household Information

Module 2: Dairy Farm Management and Milk Production

Module 3: Dairy Marketing Chain and Market Access

Module 4: Access to Animal Health and Livestock Extension Service

Module 5: Food Security and Climate Change

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Module 1: Basic Household Information
Section 1-A. Background information

1) Respondent’s Name: …………………………...………

2) Gender of the respondent:
Male (1)
Female (2)

3) Age of the respondent:……….…………..……….….years old

4) Farm address: Village..................................................Traditional authority...............................................

District/Township………………………………………Milkshed area…..…………………..………….....……

Extension planning area………………………………….

5) Respondent’s position in the household (with respect to the head):

Husband (1)
Wife (2)
Daughter (3)

Son (4)
Relative living in a house (5)

Farm labourer (6)
Other (7), please specify.…………………………………………….

6) Respondent’s educational background:

Primary school (1)
Secondary school (2)

Vocational school (3)
College / University (4)

Other (5), please specify………………………….

7) Number of years spent in school……………………………….years

Section 1-B. Household socio-economic background

8) Size of the household……………………………………………………….people

9) Household composition by age

Male Female Position in the household (with respect to the head) Age at the time of
(tick) (tick) the survey, years

2
 10) Land ownership
Land type Ha How acquired If rented, Land tenure status When Can you pass on
1 Given by how much 1 Customary acquired, your land to family
parents rent do you 2 Freehold year members?
2 Given by pay, MK 3 Leased
Yes (1)
chief (please 4 Public
No (0)
3 Given by specify 5 Other, please
Govt. whether it is specify)……………..
4 Rented land per month,
5 Borrowed for per year
free etc)
6 Purchased
Agricultural
land
Pasture
land
Forest land
Fallow
land
Dimba
Other
types

11) Ownership of house

Own house (1)
Rented (2)
Host with family or relatives (3)

Temporary shelter (4)
Other (5), please specify…………………………………….…….

12) Does your house have?

a) Electricity (ESCOM)
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Electricity (Solar)
Yes (1)
No (0)
c) Access to water
Yes (1)
No (0)
d) Toilet/Latrine
Yes (1)
No (0)
e) Iron sheet roof
Yes (1)
No (0)
f) Burnt brick walls
Yes (1)
No (0)
g) Cemented / Tiled floor
Yes (1)
No (0)

13) Do you / your household own any of these (choose as many as apply)?
Implements:
a) Hoe
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Treadle pump
Yes (1)
No (0)
c) Axe
Yes (1)
No (0)
d) Sickle
Yes (1)
No (0)
e) Slasher
Yes (1)
No (0)
f) Sprayer
Yes (1)
No (0)
1
g) Protective equipment
Yes (1)
No (0)
h) Dip tank (either household or communal, please specify……………………)

Yes (1)
No (0)
i) Watering can
Yes (1)
No (0)
Machinery:
a) Ox cart / ox plough
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Cultivator
Yes (1)
No (0)
c) Generator
Yes (1)
No (0)
d) Motorised pump
Yes (1)
No (0)
Structures / Buildings:

1
For those spraying
3
 a) Livestock khola
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Chicken house / poultry kraal
Yes (1)
No (0)
c) Shed / Storage house
Yes (1)
No (0)
d) Granary
Yes (1)
No (0)
e) Cattle crush (either household or communal, please specify…………………..)

Yes (1)
No (0)
Durable goods:
a) Chair
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Bed
Yes (1)
No (0)
c) Table
Yes (1)
No (0)
d) Stove
Yes (1)
No (0)
e) Mobile phone
Yes (1)
No (0)
f) Refrigerator
Yes (1)
No (0)
g) Radio
Yes (1)
No (0)
h) TV
Yes (1)
No (0)
i) Satellite dish
Yes (1)
No (0)
j) Bicycle
Yes (1)
No (0)
k) Car
Yes (1)
No (0)
l) Motorcycle
Yes (1)
No (0)
m) Bank account
Yes (1)
No (0)
n) Watch
Yes (1)
No (0)
o) Sewing machine
Yes (1)
No (0)
14) If you don’t have a khola, where do you keep your animals?

Open ground (1)

Parents’ khola (2)

Communal khola (3)

Other (4), please specify....................................................................

15) Livelihood sources

15b. Rank 15c. Average 15d. Average
15a. Income sources of the family
(max. 5) of your amount per amount per
sources of month in the month in the Low
2 3
household High season , season , Kwacha
income in Kwacha
ascending order
as follows: (1 =
most important
to 5 = least
important)
1. Dairy farming
2. Other livestock / Beef fattening/ rearing livestock
3. Crop (Agriculture) (maize, barley, tobacco)
4. Fisheries
5. Government employment
6. Private sector employment
7. Daily labour
8. Trade / Shopkeeper
9. Social support
10. Forest products

2
High season is from June to November
3
Low season is from December to May
4
 15b. Rank 15c. Average 15d. Average
15a. Income sources of the family
(max. 5) of your amount per amount per
sources of month in the month in the Low
2 3
household High season , season , Kwacha
income in Kwacha
ascending order
as follows: (1 =
most important
to 5 = least
important)
11. Other……………………………………………

16) How much of the following staple food crops did you plant this year? ………………. Bags of 50 kg
Crop Unit of measure Number of units Weight per unit, kg Yield, kg/ha
Maize
Fresh Cassava
Cassava dried
Rice
Irish potato
Sweet potato
Millet, kg
Sorghum (kg)

17) How much of the following staple food crops did you harvest this year? ………………. Bags of 50 kg
Crop Unit of measure Number of units Weight per unit, kg Kg harvested
Maize
Fresh Cassava
Cassava dried
Rice
Irish potato
Sweet potato
Millet, kg
Sorghum (kg)

18) How much of the crops harvested was for your own consumption, and how much was sold?
………………. Bags of 50 kg
Crop Used for own Sold Unit of measure Number of Weight per
consumption units unit, kg
Maize
Fresh Cassava
Cassava dried
Rice
Irish potato
Sweet potato
Millet, kg
Sorghum (kg)

Module 2: Dairy Farming

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Section 2-A. General

19) When did you start dairy farming? ................years (Enumerator to calculate the number of years)

20) Did you have prior knowledge of dairy farming?
Yes (1)
No (2)

21) If yes, from where? ........................................................................................................

22) How did you start dairy farming?

Encouraged by parents/relatives/friends (1)

Introduced by Govt./NGO/Donors (2), please specify.........................

Self-motivated (3)

Inherited (4)

Other (5), please specify)…………………………………………..

23) Do any members of your family / friends practice dairy farming? (choose as many as apply)

Parents (of husband / wife) (1)

Brother / sisters (of husband / wife) (2)

Friends (of husband / wife) (3)

Other (4), please specify………………………………………………….

None of the above (5)

24) Why did you start dairy farming? (choose up to 2 options)

To increase income (1)

To increase food security (2)

To diversify sources of income (3)

Other (4), please specify…………………………………………..

Section 2-B. Dairy farm structure, facilities and management

25) Number of dairy cattle kept on farm

25b. Local breed 25c. Crossbreed 25d. Pure breed –
25a. Type of animals Yachizungu
Number of animals Number of animals Number of animals
1.Lactating (milking) cows -
Zokamidwa
2. Dry cows (pregnant) -
Zosiya kukama
3. Dry cows (not pregnant) –
Zozisiyitsa kukama pa zifukwa
zina
4. Heifers (more than 1 year
old) – Misoti
5. Female calves (less than 1
year old)
6. Male calves (less than 1
year old)
7. Male fattening cattle (>1
year old) – Zothena
8. Bull (more than 2 years old)
– Nkhunzi

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 26) Number of other livestock kept on farm

Type of animals Number of animals

1.Ox
2. Donkey
3. Mule / Horse
4. Goat
5.Sheep
6. Pig
7. Chicken
8. Turkey
9. Duck
10. Guinea fowl
11.Beehive
12.Other, please specify………………………………………………

27) How did you get the (dairy) animals when you first set up your dairy farm?

Credit by government (1)
Pass on credit by NGO (2)

Purchased myself (3)
Inherited (given by) from relatives (4)

Donated (5)

Other (6), please specify..........................................................................................................

28) Who owns the (dairy) animals/farm? (multiple choices possible)

Husband (1)
Wife (2)
Both husband and wife (3)
Daughter (4)
Son (5)

Relative (6)
Farm labourer (7)

Other (8), please specify)…………………………………………..
29) Who manages the (dairy) animals/farm? (multiple choices possible)

Husband (1)
Wife (2)
Both husband and wife (3) Daughter (4)
Son (5)

Relative (6)
Farm labourer (7)

Other (8), please specify)…………………………………………..

30) Are the animals used for milk, or meat purposes?

4
30b. Milk only 30c. Meat only 30d.Milk and Meat
30a. Animal Breed
Number of animals Number of animals Number of animals
Crossbreed
Holstein/Friesian –
Black & white in colour
Zebu – local
Ayrshire /Jersey –
Greyish in colour
Other, please
specify……………….

4
i.e. used for milk, and culled later in life plus bull calves fattened for meat
7
 31) Herd dynamics
31d. Number dead (in 31e. Cause of death, 31f. 31h. Culling (in the last 12
the last 12 months) please specify (in the Number months) Kuchotsa
31g.
last 12 months) of Number
stillbirths of
31c.
Number newborn
31a. deaths
31b.Total born (in
Type of (in the
number the last
animals last 12
12
months) months)
No Sex of Age Sex of
Age
the when No the
culled
animal died animal
Local
breed
Cross
breed
Pure
breed
31i. Slaughtering for home 31j. Number of 31k. Number of animals transferred 31l. Number of 31m. 31n.
consumption (in the last animals sold (in (in the last 12 months) animals received as Number Number
12 months) the last 12 gifts (in the last 12 of of
months) months) animals (dairy)
given as animals
gifts (in stolen
the last from the
12 farm (in
months) the last
12
months)
Sex of Age
No the slaughter
animal ed
Local
breed
Cross
breed
Pure
breed

8
 32) Characteristics of each cow on your farm:
Co 32a. 32b. Cow breed 32c. 32d. 32e. 32f. 32 g. 32h. If 32i.If in 32j. Milk yield, 32k. 32l. 32m. 32n. How 32o. 32p.
w Cow 1. Crossbreed Sex Date of Weig How Milk- not in milk litres per day Date Date Date of many Duratio Pregn
No. Name or birth ht many ing milk, the when of of last last times did n ant
2.Zebu 1=Male (dd/mm/ when kg of statu last date did it drying calvin inseminat the cow betwee status
ID
number 3. Holstein/Friesian 2=Fem yy) fully feed a s when start (dd/m g ion have to n (1)
4.Ayrshire /Jersey ale . grow day (1) the cow giving m/ (dd/m (dd/mm/ be insemi Yes
(if At At At
n, kg they In gave milk yy) m/ insemina na-
applicab 5.Other calvi pe- the yy) (0) No
consu milk milk (dd/mm/ ted tions
le) ng to ak, e- yy)
me (dd/mm/ yy) before
(2) 30 30 nd, (days)
when yy) getting
Not days – aft
fully pregnant
in 60 er
grown ?
Mil day 60
k s day .
s

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

9
Section 2-C. Labour use in dairy farming

33) How many workers do you have at the (dairy) farm, i.e. contributing to the dairy enterprise?
33b. Male 33c. Female 33d.Total
33a.Type of employment
(No. of persons) (No. of persons)
Self-employed or unpaid workers (family member,
i.e. husband, wife, son, daughter or relatives)

Paid workers / ganyu

How much is a worker paid in a month?

(Kwacha/ person)

34) Who regularly performs the following activities on your dairy farm?
Activity Person responsible (multiple choices possible)
Feeding
Fetching water (for drinking, cleaning, etc)
Milking
Cleaning
Dipping
Marketing
Khola maintenance
Codes for the responses:
Farm Manager (1)
Husband (2)
Wife (3)
Workers (4)
Male children
(5)
Female children (6)

Section 2-D. Feeding

35) Which type of grazing do you practice (for your dairy animals), and for how many months a year?

Free grazing (in pasture) (1); Months of grazing in this category each year.………months

Free grazing in communal land (dambos) (2); Months of grazing in this category each year………months

Semi-zero grazing (3) – Kudyetsa ku dambo kapena m’khola; Months of grazing in this category each
year………months

Zero grazing (4) – Kudyetsera m’khola; Months of grazing in this category each year………months

Other (5), please specify………………………………………………………………………………
Months of grazing in this category each year………months

36) Do you practice fertilisation of grazing land?

Yes (1)
No (0)

37) If yes, please specify the amount and type of fertilizer applied (multiple choices possible)

Type of fertiliser Amount, kg/ha

Synthethic (1)
Manure (2)
Compost (3)
Legumes (4)

38) If you use community land (dambos) for grazing, how much of total feed quantity does this provide?
................% (Enumerator to calculate % if necessary)

10
 39) Have you undertaken any land improvement and conservation measures during the last 2 years?

Yes (1)
No (0)

40) If Yes, please indicate the type of conservation you have undertaken (choose as many as apply)

Soil or stone bunds (1); ………….ha

Terraces (2); ………………………ha

Drainage ditches (3);…….……… ha

Fences (4); ………………………...ha

Planting trees (5); …………………Number

Other (6), please specify…………………………………; ……………………ha
41) Which grass do you grow on the farm?
5
Name Grass yield
kg of dry matter per ha kg of fresh weight per ha
Ruzi grass (1)
Panicum grass (2)
Guinea grass (3)
Napier grass (4)
Rhodes grass (5)
Centrocema (6)
Thatch grass (7)
Star grass (8)
Plicatulum grass (9)
Other (10), please specify......................................

42) Feed / Fodder (roughage) (multiple choice possible)

Yes 42b.Source 42c.Feeding 42d. 42e.How 42f.If 42g.If purchase, please
(1) (1) Plant practice How much do purchase, indicate amount
or yourself (1) Gra- many you feed please purchased per month,
No or zing times (per cow indicate see unit codes below
(0) (2) Natural (2) Stall- do per day)? average
pasture feed you Unit Code: price,
or (3) Both feed Kwacha
42a.Type of
(3) Purchase your per unit
feed
cows (please
per specify
day? unit)
Unit Quan- Price per High Low Unit
and tity ~ unit season season
wt no of
(kg) units
Concentrate
feed (1)
(e.g. dairy
mash) –
Zosakhala
zaudzu
Grass (grazing)
(2)
Grass (cut and
carry) (3)
Hay (4) – udzu
wofutsa
Maize bran (5)
– Madeya
Groundnut
haulms (6) –

5
Enumerator to use either dry matter per ha or fresh weight per ha as specified by the farmer.
11
 Yes 42b.Source 42c.Feeding 42d. 42e.How 42f.If 42g.If purchase, please
(1) (1) Plant practice How much do purchase, indicate amount
or yourself (1) Gra- many you feed please purchased per month,
No or zing times (per cow indicate see unit codes below
(0) (2) Natural (2) Stall- do per day)? average
pasture feed you Unit Code: price,
or (3) Both feed Kwacha
42a.Type of
(3) Purchase your per unit
feed
cows (please
per specify
day? unit)
Unit Quan- Price per High Low Unit
and tity ~ unit season season
wt no of
(kg) units
Masangwi
Feed
supplements
(7)

Do you
produce Silage
(8) – Udzu
owoletsa

Forage (9) –
Legumes
Nyemba
6
Fodder (10) –
Masamba
ochokera
m’miteng
Other (11)
a)………………
b)......................
c)......................
Note: Unit Code: Kilogram = 1; Basket of ____kg = 2; Pale of 20 liters=3; Bag of ____ kg=4; Other = 5,
please specify……………………………….
43) Do you purchase crop by-products during the year?

Yes (1)
No (0)

44) If you purchase crop by-products, which crop by-products did you purchase for the farm over the last 12
months?

44b.Price 44c. Quantity purchased 44d. Which

per kg month is it
44a.Type of crop by- available?
product 44c1.Unit 44c2. 44c3. Weight 44c4.Total
of measure Number of per unit, kg kg
units
Ground nut haulms
Maize stalks
Soybean haulms
Banana stems
Rice straws
Cassava leaves
Other, please
specify..................

6
e.g. from agroforestry
12
 Note: Unit Code: Kilogram = 1; Basket of ____kg = 2; Pale of 20 liters=3; Bag of ____ kg=4; Other =
5, please specify……………………………….
45) Do you have enough fodder for your animals for the whole year?
Yes (1)
No (0)

46) Do you regularly experience a shortage of feed?
Yes (1)
No (0)

47) If yes, which season / month do you experience the most severe shortage.....................................

48) How do you obtain feed when experiencing a shortage of feed, please

explain.....................................……………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

49) Do you make conserved feeds (e.g. hay)
Yes(1)
No(0)

50) If yes, how much hay do you make? …………………………………………...(specify quantity and units)

51) Have you experienced differences in feed availability over the past ten (10) years?

Yes(1)
No(0)
52) a) Do you have enough water for your animals throughout the day?
Yes (1)
No (0)
b) Amount of water consumed………………………..litres (convert if buckets)
c) Total monthly cost of water……………………Kwacha
53) What is the source of water for the animals (choose up to 2)? Indicate the distance for each source
indicated (multiple responses are possible)

On-farm well (1) Dist_______m
Piped public water supply (2) Dist_______m

Rain catchment (3) Dist_______m
River / stream (4) Dist_______m

Other (5), please specify……………………………………… Dist_______m

Section 2-E. Milk production and milking practice

54) How many times a day do you milk your cows?
Once (1)
2 times (2)
3 times (3)

55) Do you clean hands before milking?
Yes (1)
No (0)

56) Do you clean milking utensils before milking?
Yes (1)
No (0)

57) Average milk per day in the high season……… kg or litre, from …………….… (number of milking) cows

58) Average milk per day in the low season………...kg or litre, from …………….… (number of milking) cows

59) Do you mix evening and morning milk before you send it to the MBG every morning?

Yes (1)
No (0)
60) Do you plan to increase the amount of milk you produce?
Yes (1)
No (0)
61) If yes, how do you plan to increase your milk production? (choose up to 3)

Increase the number of dairy cows (1)

Improve the grade of animals (2)

Produce more feed (3)

Buy more feed (4)

Spend more on controlling animal disease (5)

Depends on extension advice (6)

Change farm management practices (e.g.feed) (7)

Don’t know (8)

Other (9) (please explain)………………………

13
 62) Do you think there are any significant constraints to the (dairy) production of the farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)
63) If answered yes, which are the three main constraints you are facing with your dairy farm (choose 3 and
rank from 1 to 3 in the order of importance, with 1 being the most important)?

Lack of fodder or roughage (1), ranking…….

Low quality of fodder or roughage (2), ranking……

Low quality of concentrate feed (3), ranking……

High cost of concentrate feed (4), ranking……

Lack of credit to buy new animals (5), ranking……

Lack of farm labourer/s (6), ranking……

Low quality of milk (7), ranking……

Low milk yield (8), ranking……

Low market price of milk (9), ranking……

High price of cattle feed (concentrate feed) (10), ranking……

Infertility (11), ranking……

Animal disease (12), ranking……

Good quality semen and genetics (13), ranking……

Other (14), please specify,

a)………………………………………………………………….,ranking………………………
b) …………………………………………………………………,ranking………………………
c) ………………………………………………………………….,ranking………………………
d) ………………………………………………………………….,ranking………………………

Section 2-F. Manure management

64) How much time a day do the cows spend grazing?

Type of an animal Hours per day

Calves

Gestating cows

Lactating cows

Bulls

65) How much time a day do the cows spend housed?

Type of an animal Hours per day

Calves

14
 Gestating cows

Lactating cows

Bulls

66) When not grazing, how is the manure stored? .................................................................................

67) When not grazing, how is the manure removed?..............................................................................

68) How long is the manure stored before using?..........................………………………………..days

69) Is the stored solid (if any) manure covered by, kept with or mixed with any material?

a) Covered by other material
Yes (1)
No (0)

b) Kept with other material (but not mixed)
Yes (1)
No (0)

c) Mixed with other material
Yes (1)
No (0)

70) Common manure storage system

Lagoon (1)
Solid storage facility (2)

Dry lot (heap) (3)
Pit storage (4)
Daily spread (5)

Other (6), please specify………………………………………….………

71) Common manure storage system (multiple choices possible)

Manure Management During Housed Period (adult % of Manure Stored in this System (Enumerator to
females only) calculate if necessary)

Liquid / slurry (with crust) (1)

Liquid / slurry (without crust) (2)

Lagoon (3)

Solid manure (4)

Drylot (5)

Daily spread (6)

Burned (7)

Anaerobic digestion (8)

Other (9) (please

specify).......................................................

72) Do you use manure or cattle slurry?
Yes (1)
No (0)

73) If yes, for what? (multiple choices possible)

In pasture (grass) field (1)
In other crop field (2)
Fuel (3)

15

Biogas (4)
Other (5), please specify..………………………………………….………

74) What percentage of manure produced when the cattle are housed is applied on your
fields?...............................................

75) What percentage of manure you produce is used as fuel?..............................................................

76) Do you sell manure?
Yes (1)
No (0)

77) If yes, what percentage of manure is sold?......................................................................................

78) What is the price per unit (e.g., bag, ox-cart, etc)? Kwacha________ /_______ (indicate unit)

79) If don’t use and don’t sell manure, what is done with manure?

Please explain..............................................................................................…………………..........

80) Do you produce biogas on your farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

No, but intend to (2)

Other (3), please explain....................................................................................

81) Are any cattle also used for traction or work?
Yes (1)
No (0)

82) If yes: how many?......................................................heads

83) If yes: for how many hours a day?..............................hours

Module 3: Dairy Marketing Chain and Market Access

Section 3-A. Marketing

84) Disaggregated milk quantities

Category Average litres per day
High season Low season
Total production
Home consumption
Milk wastage
Milk given to calves
Milk sold through the MBG
Milk sold locally
Milk sold through the dairy cooperative (other than MBG)
Other, please specify...........................................

85) Selling price in the MBG, per kg or litre………………………………..........Kwacha

86) If the selling price in MBG is different in low season, please indicate..........................................Kwacha

87) Selling price locally, per kg, litre or local unit ………………………………(if in local units, please indicate
the number of litres or kg per unit)

88) How far do you live from the MBG/collecting centre or market? ……………………. kilometres, or
……………………. hours walking

89) What mode of transport do you normally use to get to the MBG?

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Go by foot (1)

Bicycle (2)

Ox-cart (3)

Own vehicle (4)

Hired vehicle (5)

Other (6), please specify........................................………………………………………………
90) What are the costs incurred during production and marketing of your milk over the last 12 months?
Item Total Cost

1 Processing costs

2 Costs for using extension and veterinary services

3 Transport costs

4 Storage cost

5 Market costs (fees)

6 Electricity costs (lighting, storage, processing)

7 Other costs, please specify…………………………………………

91) Do you ever have difficulties selling your milk?
Yes (1)
No (0)

92) If yes, what are the difficulties?

Poor quality of milk/sour milk (1)

No market (2)

Low price (3)

Lack of transportation (4)

Other (5), please specify........................................………………………………………………

93) What is the (average) quantity of your milk rejected by MBG/Coop in the last month? ...........litres

94) Do you ever have a delay in getting paid for milk sold?
Yes (1)
No (0)

95) If you do have delays, how many days on average per month (in the last 6 months)?

.......................................................................................days

96) Does your MBG or dairy cooperative have an incentive system (additional payment) paid to farmers who
have better quality of milk?
Yes (1)
No (0)

97) If yes, how much do they pay for the: Standard (normal) milk…………………………Kwacha/litre
Better quality of milk…………………………Kwacha/litre

98) What do you do to increase the quality of milk you sell?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....
..............................................................................................................................................
Section 3-B. Milk bulking groups and dairy co-operatives

99) Are you (or any members of your family) a member of a dairy co-operative (other than MBG)?

Yes (1)
No (0)

100) If no, why (please explain)……………………………………………………………………………..

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 101) What services of the MBG or dairy co-op do you use (choose all that apply)?
Services Yes (1) or No (0)

Milk collection

Veterinary services and livestock extension

Feed

Veterinary drugs

Artificial insemination

Other farming inputs

Credit

Other (please specify)………………………..

Section 3-C. Access to credit/finance

102) Do you have (or have you had in the past 12 months) access to credit to support your dairy farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

103) If yes, where did you get the credit from?

Regional/international NGO (1)

Malawi Rural Finance Company (2)

Malawi Rural Development Fund (3)

Formal lending agencies (4)

Credit union (5)

Friends/relatives/neighbours (6)

Other (7), please specify..............................……………………………………………………………

104) If no, would you consider borrowing to invest in your (dairy) farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

105) If no, why (please explain)……………………………………………………………………………..

106) What is the maximum amount you think you could borrow?................................................Kwacha

107) Do you know what the interest rate is / would be?...................................................%

108) Did you try to access credit in the past but did not obtain it?

Yes (1)
No (0)

109) Can you identify any constraints when trying to get credit (choose up to 3)?

High interest rate (1)

No formal documentation for the land (2)

Credit organizations not willing to lend to smallholders (3)

Other (4), please specify....................................................................

Section 3-D. Theft and security

110) If you have had any dairy animals stolen in the last 12 months, what impact did it have on you as a
dairy farmer? (choose up to 3)

No impact (1)

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Less willing to invest money in dairy farming (2)

Moved / will move to practicing other agricultural activities (3)

Labour constraints (if animals were used for traction) (4)

Increased food insecurity (5)

Other (6), please specify
a)………………………………………
b)………………………………………
c)………………………………………
111) How do you plan to tackle theft in the future, please explain?

……………………………………….………...........................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

Module 4: Access to Animal Health and Livestock Extension Service

Section 4-A. General

112) Support for the dairy farm over the last 12 months

From the From your From NGOs From From other organisation,
Government MBG Development please specify......................
agencies
Do you receive
support for your
dairy farm,
Yes (1) or No (0)
Are you satisfied
with the level of
support you
receive,
Yes (1) or No (0)

113) Who provides dairy extension services in your village/region?

Government (1)
NGO (2)
Both (3)

No extension services available (4)

Other (5), please specify……………………………………………….
114) Is there an extension worker at your local MBG?
Yes (1)
No (0)
115) If yes, how often did you have contact with them in the last 12 months?

Once (1)
Twice (2)
More than twice (3)
Never (4)

Other (5), please specify……………………………………………….

Section 4-B. Animal health service

116) Do you vaccinate your animals?
Yes (1)
No (0)
117) If yes, against which diseases?

East Coast Fever (1)

Foot and mouth disease (2)

Other (3), please specify
a) ....................................................................
b) ....................................................................
c).......................................................................
118) Who vaccinates your animals?

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Yourself (1)

Relatives/neighbours (2)

MBG/extension support veterinarian (3)

Private veterinarian (4)

Community Animal Health Worker (5)

Other (6), please specify……………………………………………….
119) Do you pay for vaccination?
Yes (1)
No (0)
120) If you do pay for vaccination, how much do you pay? .......................Kwacha

121) Do you de-worm your animals each year?
Yes (1)
No (0)

122) If yes, how much does it cost (per annum)?…………………………………Kwacha

123) During last 12 months, did you see any diseased animal on your farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

124) If yes, what kind of disease was it?

East Coast Fever (1)

Foot and Mouth Disease (2)

Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (3)

Black leg or Black quarter (4)

Anthrax (5)

Tuberculosis (6)

Brucellosis (7)

Not sure (8)

Other (9), please specify…………………………………………….……………..
125) Who provides treatment to your animals in case of sickness?

Yourself (1)

Relatives/neighbours (2)

MBG/extension support veterinarian (3)

Private veterinarian (4)

Community Animal Health Worker (5)

Other (6), please specify………………………………………………………………………….

126) During the last year, has there been any death of the cattle on your farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

127) If yes, list the details as per Table below

Cattle ID Sex Cause of death How did you Value if it

dispose? were to be
sold,
Kwacha

Disease ~ list Parasites ~ list Other ~ list 1 = burnt ; 2 =

buried; 3 =
sold; 4 =
eaten

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 128) Where are some veterinary services available?

In local MBG (1)

Government district veterinary offices (2)

Government EPA / Dip Tanks (3)

Other (4), please specify……………..………………………..……..

129) Are you satisfied with veterinary services you use?
Yes (1)
No (0)

130) Do you have any suggestions on how to increase the effectiveness of the services you use, please
explain?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Section 4-C. Reproduction and breeding service

131) Have you been trained on heat detection?
Yes (1)
No (0)

132) Do you use artificial insemination (AI)?
Yes (1)
No (0)

133) Do you pay for AI service?
Yes (1)
No (0)

134) If yes, how much do you pay for each service?............................................Kwacha

135) Do you use a bull for the whole herd?
Yes (1)
No (0)

136) Who is inseminating the cows?

Government inseminator (1)
Private inseminator (2)

Farmer AI Technician (3)
Veterinarian (4)

Other (5), please specify……...................………..…….

137) How many times do you observe your animals per day to see if a cow is on heat?

0
1
2
3
More than 4

138) How many times did you inseminate your cows when they became in heat?

1 time
2 times

139) Average number of services per conception? ……………………………..

140) Are you satisfied with the AI / breeding services you use?
Yes (1)
No (0)

141) Do you have any suggestions on how to increase the effectiveness of the services you use, please
explain?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Section 4-D. Record keeping and level of knowledge

142) Do you practice record keeping on your farm?
Yes (1)
No (0)
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 143) If yes, select the type of information you record in Table below

Type of record Code

Individual cow records (1)

Breeding/fertility/reproduction records (2)

Milk production records (3)

Milk sales records (4)

Costs (5)

Other (6), please specify..............................................

144) From whom did you (the farmer) get most of his knowledge on dairy farming

Other dairy farmers (1)

Government official (2)

Cooperative extension (3)

Local/International NGO (4)

Other (5), please specify………………………………………………………………
145) Please rank your knowledge on dairy feed and feeding

Very good (1)
Good (2)
Fair (3)
Needs to be improved (4)
146) What kind of knowledge/information you would like to receive more via training? (multiple choices
possible)

General farm management (1)

Feed and feeding (2)
Artificial insemination (7)

Animal disease (3)
Farm accounts/record keeping (8)

Udder management (4)
Quality of milk (9)

Mastitis (5)
Breeding (10)

Marketing (6)
Other (11), please specify……………………….

Module 5: Food Security and Climate Change

Section 5-A. Food security

147) During the last 7 days how many meals did the household take per day?

1 (1)

2 (2)

3 (3)

More than 3 (4)

Other (5), please specify.......................................................
148) How many meals a day do you have during the lean periods (on average)

1 (1)

2 (2)

3 (3)

More than 3 (4)

Other (5), please specify.......................................................
149) Describe the food security level in your household
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Food secure throughout the year (1)

Secure for most of the year / seasonal food security (2)

Food insecure for most of the year (depend on the outside aid) (3)
7
150) Months of food inadequacy per year (on average)?........................................................months
151) Did your household have to undertake any of these strategies in the last 12 months (choose up to 3):

Storing food from the harvest season (1)

Reducing the consumption of food/consuming green maize (2)

Food aid from relatives (3)

Dependent on food aid from the Government (4)

Dependent on food aid from NGOs (5)

Reducing number of meals per day (6)

Cutting of trees and sale for charcoal (7)

Working for other people in exchange for food (8)

Other (9), please specify…………………………………………..
152) In the past 7 days, what were the sources of food for the household?

Own produce (1)

Purchase from market (2)

Casual labour paid in food (3)

Wild food (4)

Gift (5)

Food for work (6)

Free food (7)

Winter/irrigated own food (8)

Barter of household assets (9)

Barter of livestock (10)

Other (11), please specify…………………………………………………………..
153) In the past 7 days, what income sources did the household use to provide for the food consumed?

Sale of own staple food crop (1)

Sale of own other food crops (2)

Sale of own cash crops (3)

Sale of own livestock / fish / milk (4)

Sale of firewood (5)

Ganyu (6)

Income from business work (7)

Income from paid job (8)

Remittances (9)

Sale of household assets (10)

Other (11), please specify…………………………………………………………..

154) Please indicate the types of food eaten over the last 7 days (choose as many as applicable):
Item Code
Cereals, Grains and Cereal Products (1)

7
i.e. not having enough food to satisfy daily needs
23
Roots, Tubers and Plantains (2)
Legumes / Vegetables (3)
Nuts and Pulses (4)
Meat, Fish and Animal Products (5)
Milk and Milk Products (6)
Fruit (7)
Fats / Oil (8)
Sugar / Sugar products (9)
Spices / Condiments (10)
Wild foods (11)
Other (12), please specify

Section 5-B. Climate change

155) Have you heard about climate change?
Yes (1)
No (0)

156) Describe features that, in your opinion, indicate climate change

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

157) Do you think climate change is affecting Malawi?

Yes (1)
No (0)

158) If yes, in what way (please explain)?............................................................................................

159) Did you notice any change in the regular weather patterns in the last 5 years (choose all that apply)?
Mwaonapo kusintha kwa nyengo kodabwitsa kotani pa zaka zisanu zapitazi kufika panopa?

More frequent droughts (1)

Flooding (2)

Erratic rainfall (3)

Changes in crop yields (4)

Changes in disease outbreaks (5)

Did not notice any change (6)

Other (7), please specify……………………………………………………………

160) Do you think the events identified in the question above have had an impact on your dairy farm?

Yes (1)
No (0)

161) If yes, how (please explain)? ..........................................................................................................

162) Do you think these events (identified in the question 159 above) affected any of the following?
a. Factor Effect ~ 1 = Increase; If yes, how do How does the
2 = decline ; 3 = no change; 4 = you cope? change affect
do not know you your
household?
b. Feed availability
i. Grass
ii. Legumes
iii. Crop residues
iv. Concentrate
c. Cattle diseases

24
d. Milk yield
e. Milk quality
f. Herd size
g. Water availability
h. Profit from dairy

163) As a dairy farmer, are you aware that your activities can contribute to climate change or reduce the
impacts of climate change?

Yes (1)
No (0)

164) Are you involved in any community forestry work?

Yes (1)
No (0)

165) How many trees do you have on your farm?

a) Local trees (number)…………..Please specify names:

a. .....................................................................................................................

b. .......................................................................................................................

c. .......................................................................................................................
b) Exotic trees (number)…….. …...Please specify names

a. .....................................................................................................................

b. .......................................................................................................................

c. .......................................................................................................................
166) Are you involved in any agro-forestry work?

Yes (1)
No (0)

167) If yes, what system of agro-forestry (and mention species used)?

Agroforestry system Species used Amount of land under this Years practicing this
system, ha system

168) If no, why are you not involved in any agro-forestry activities?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Before the enumerator leaves the farmer, he/she must rank the general condition and cleanliness of the khola
with respect to
Condition Ranks range between 1and 3:
1=Poor 2=Fair 3=Good
Condition of the animal (degree of thinness, fatness)
Condition of the pens (size, ventilation, strength of structure, etc)
Condition of the roof (iron sheets, grass thatched with plastic paper,

25
leakage, exposure to direct sunshine, etc)
Condition of the floor (whether concrete or mad floor or bedding)
General cleanliness (presence of dung, feed, urine)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ANSWERS

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