Training courses on “dairy products manufacturing” and “fodder production and recycling of agricultural residues” held in Elfayoum Governorate

The Training courses on “fodder production and recycling of agricultural residues” and “dairy product manufacturing” took place in Elfayoum Governorate in November 2020, involving 24 rural women from Eltowfikia and Sennhour Elkablia villages, in Sennoris district.

The initiative, realized in collaboration with the Elfayoum Agricultural Directorate, aimed at enhancing rural women’s technical skills, thus positively impacting both on food security and on the quality of fodder and milk production.

The trainings focused on the following topics:

• Training course on “dairy products manufacturing”, providing theoretical and practical knowledge and skills on the following aspects:

• Buffalo milk and its nutritional value; 
• different types of dairy products;
• good practices to increase milk quality and safety;
• assessment of milk quality through sensory tests;
• production methods of dairy products such as yoghurt, butter, labneh, and different types of typical and less traditional cheeses such as qarish domiati, shamia (such as nabolsi and halom cheeses) and mozzarella.

• Training course on “fodder production and recycling of agricultural residues”, providing theoretical and practical knowledge and skills on the following aspects:

• Identification of fodder crops based on the international botanical classification;
• Proper feeding of ruminants (buffaloes, cows, sheep and goats) according to their age and characteristics;
• Production of a balanced fodder by mixing different combinations of local crops;
• Production of non-traditional fodders from barley, grown on wheat, hay and straw; 
• Production of silage from green foliage crops; 
• Recycling of agricultural residues for compost.

As in the case of the other training courses realized in Egypt, the methodology adopted was that of “learning by doing”, using different tools to actively engage the participants, such as practical demonstrations, group-working, discussion groups and the use of samples as a reference.

Thanks to this course the beneficiaries considerably increased their knowledge and technical capacity on milk and fodder production, a fundamental step to enhance the quality of the dairy products.

As a follow-up, a leaflet explaining the main steps related to the production of the different kinds of dairy products will be printed and made available to the participants allowing them to transfer the knowledge they have acquired during the training to other women and men of their villages.

The progresses and the application of the skills acquired during the course by the beneficiaries will be monitored by the “local leaders” in each village.