ROVA: PROMOTING THE MILK PRODUCTION IN THE VAKINANKARATRA REGION

Context

Rova at the service of dairy farmers

Rova was established in 1987 by dairy farmers in the Vakinankaratra region to promote the development of the milk sector and improve their income.
Rova initially focused its action on improving production at the farm level (animal health, fodder feeding…).

Facing the challenge of milk processing market concentration by a few large companies with no real benefit shared with farmers, Rova has gradually invested in the downstream part of the value chain: construction of a dairy collecting unit in 2007 and dairy product sales outlets from 2016.

Fert has been supporting Rova since 2001 in its development and its dynamic structuring of services for the benefits of the region’s dairy farmers.

Objectives

Improving the standards of living of livestock farmers through the development of the dairy value chain

Improving the management of dairy farms by providing quality technical and economic advisory service	Promoting the development of services carried by and for the members of Rova	Advising Rova in its strategic choices (advice to members, market, economic sustainability…)

Actions

Supporting farmers’ initiatives

Thanks to its experience in Madagascar, notably through the support to the Fifata group*, Fert has a good knowledge of the local context. According to the needs identified with Rova, Fert mobilizes specific skills, particularly of BTPL (Bureau Technique de Promotion Laitière / Technical Office for Dairy Promotion, a dairy farming advisory organization in France), to support the technical and economic advisory approach to farmers.

Rova is also supported by partners with complementary skills: Malagasy auditing firms for financial management, Afdi on the aspects of processing and marketing of dairy products, etc.

*A national farmers’ organization with which Fert has built since 1989 many services to agriculture, managed by the profession (microfinance, youth training, agricultural consulting, etc.).