GATSIBO – Livestock farmers operating under Rwimbogo Dairy Cooperative in Rwimbogo sector, Gatsibo district say that hundreds of litres of milk are going  to waste due to a faulty refrigeration machine and a faulty generator.

Different farmers who spoke to The New Times said that the only cooler they use that was donated by PADEBEL, a projective under the Ministry of Agriculture , has been faulty.

‘Both the milk cooler and its generator constantly break up. Sometimes we lose over 2,000 litres of milk estimated to be a waste running into millions due to this problem,’ Emmanuel Munyaburanga, one of the cooperative members said.

Munyaburanga, who also doubles as the cooperative vice president, however, disclosed that farmers have collected money towards purchase of a new machine.

‘We contributed some money to buy a new milk cooler but we are still short of funds.’

Agnes Murekatete, an accountant at the Dairy also admitted that farmers have incurred losses due to this faulty machine.

‘We don’t have electricity. We only depend on a generator and once it breaks down it complicates the whole situation. The cooler cannot work without electricity,’ she said.

The Rwimbogo sector Executive Secretary, Fred Murara said that the sector was tirelessly working with the cooperative to fix the problem.

‘We have collected over Rwf 5million  to buy a truck with mobile cooler that will help our farmers sell their milk safely,’ he said.

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