HPI donates 42 heifers to livestock farmers

NORTHERN PROVINCE GICUMBI — Heifer Project International (HPI), on Monday donated a total of 42 heifers to 42 families in Gicumbi district, while one resident had the animal withdrawn from him allegedly due to negligence. Gicumbi district is the first to benefit from Heifer Project International, said the country coordinator Dr. Denis Karamuzi, while handing over the animals. HPI had earlier donated 42 heifers to other families in the district, which produced other 42 calves that were transferred at Monday’s function. Leonidas Bigega, who reportedly failed to feed and treat properly the heifer earlier donated to him, had the cow withdrawn from his care and donated to another family during the ceremony. Besides the Cow being the source of milk consumed by everybody and sold to raise family’s income, it also serves as a symbol of love in the Rwandan society, said Governor Boniface Rucagu. The Governor cautioned the beneficiaries to desist from Genocide Ideology saying it retards development. Genocide Ideology is hatred based on ethnic differences which resulted in the 1994 mayhem that destroyed the Rwandan society, he said. Mayor Bonane Nyangezi advised the livestock farmers to form cooperative societies that will enable them to access loans from financial institutions, to inject in their business. You should set up cooperative societies and determine milk prices so as not to be cheated by the consumers or milk traders, advised Nyangezi. One Friesian cow produces between 40 and 50 liters of milk per day. The cattle farmers’ representative, Dasian Twine said HPI has over time donated a total of 583 Friesian cows to 1,176 livestock farmers in the district. Currently Gicumbi livestock farmers produce 10, 200 liters of milk per day, said Twine commending HIP. Dr. Karamuzi said their main objective in the country is to fight poverty among the rural Peasants, bring Unity and Reconciliation and to protect the environment. The ceremony was concluded by award of certificates to the best livestock farmers. Ends