"Pass On the Gift" system

[Jacky Foo]

Source: http://www.iobbnet.org/drupal/node/view/962/3162#comment-3162

++++

"Pass On the Gift" system
Submitted by Jacky Foo on Wed, 02/05/2007 - 07:07.

Dear Jackson

In the abstract, you wrote:

>Selected groups received an integrated training package
>adapted to the holistic nature of the approach used. Inputs
>(ameliorated pig breeds, seeds and some equipments) were
>provided to farmers who are to Pass On the Gift to other
>farmers in the group

In your paper I understand that
>"....in Bamboutous Division, Heifer is supporting four farmer
>groups. One of these groups is common initiative group
>Eleveurs Agriculteurs Solidaires de Bamboutous, consisting of
>10 local farmer families".

>"......After the training, some members who were selected by
>the group received four weaned piglets (2-3 months old) of a
>strong breed from Heifer Cameroon, and also some specific
>feed ingredients, some seeds, and certain agricultural
>equipment. At a later stage, these first farmers pass on four
>piglets to other farmers in the group, and this will be
>repeated until all group members have received piglets".

I guess this is the "Pass on the Gift" system, i.e passing over 4
piglets to another group member.

Q1: In the case of Eleveurs Agriculteurs Solidaires de Bamboutous
(with 10 families), how many of them were selected as the starter
families who received the starter package ?

Q2: what are the qualities of the "strong breed" piglets

Q3: how is the "strong breed" qualities of the pigs maintained in the
"Pass On the Gift" system ? Do you supply a boar ?

Q4: does the system also requires that the first batch of farmers also
pass on the same starter materials received and that probably ensured
successful pig farming operation, i.e. feed ingredients, some seeds,
and certain agricultural equipment to the next group of farmers ?

-----
Jacky Foo
http://www.iobbnet.org

[jackkson ntapi]

 

 

 

 Answers

Q1: The actual number of farmers in the group is 30. Participatory screening using the Heifer cornerstones for just and sustainable development was done with the group to determine which of the 30 farm families will receive first. In selecting the 10 farmers care is taken within the group to address issues related to the most needy, gender and participation of members.  

 

Q2: The pigs given to farmers were obtained from commercial farms and are multi-crossed breeds obtained from crosses of large white, Landrace and ± local breeds. The result was viable animals that can produce acceptable production performance and provide the much needed rusticity to the tropical and smallholder farming environment where all external factors cannot be optimally controlled.

Q3: For groups doing reproduction 2 sows and 1 boar is given per farmer but for the group mentioned in the article “Eleveur Agriculteur Solidaire de Bamboutos” the farmers decided to choose fattening as a specialty to respond to the specificities of their environment. They fatten and sell their pigs at 7-9 months of age at times to farmers doing reproduction but mostly to consumers. To pass on the gift they purchase the recommended breed from Heifer assisted farmers doing reproduction.

Q4: No: they pass on the gift for animals and seeds supplied. For feed ingredients and veterinary drugs, the farmers pay 30% of the cost price to their revolving fund “group’s insurance policy” which will serve as a booster of sustainability when Heifer leaves the group. Farmers pay nothing for equipments supplied.

 

Jacky Foo <jack...@gmail.com> wrote:

---

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[Jacky Foo]

JF asked:

>Q4: does the system also requires that the first batch of farmers
>also pass on the same starter materials received and that probably
>ensured successful pig farming operation, i.e. feed ingredients,
>some seeds, and certain agricultural equipment to the next group of
>farmers ?

Jackson responded

>Q4: No: they pass on the gift for animals and seeds supplied. For
>feed ingredients and veterinary drugs, the farmers pay 30% of the
>cost price to their revolving fund "group's insurance policy" which
>will serve as a booster of sustainability when Heifer leaves the
>group. Farmers pay nothing for equipments supplied.

I still dont understand the sustainabilty of the system e.g. when Heifer Intl leaves.

(a) the first farmer would get animals, seeds (for what purpose ?), feed, drugs, etc. Then the farmer pays only 30 % of the price of feed and veterinary drugs into a revolving fund for the group

(b) to the 2nd farmer in the line, the 1st farmer gives the 2nd farmer 4 piglets and seeds. From whom does the 2nd farmer get feed and drugs?

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[jackkson ntapi]

Dear Participant,

a) Note Heifer is doing development not business. We are working with resource limited farmers who eventually have a lot of livelihood problems. We know they desperately need part of the sales from pigs to improve their living standards, send their children to school etc etc so we cannot ask them to pay the totally of the cost of feed and drugs to their revolving fund. This fund is to be built across the lifespan of the project and note that most groups have already developed substantial amounts but most importantly this fund should be developed along side a net improvement in the living standards of assisted farm families.

  

b)

 

b) From Heifer of course. The second batch of farmers and if possible the subsequent batches are all assisted within the lifespan of the project. The exit strategy is farmer specific (taking into consideration when farmer receives assistance) in which the quantity of assistance given to a farmer is reduced as the farmer stays longer from the date of placement of animals. In this respect the second batch of farmers receive considerably more assistance (feed, drugs, equipments……) than the first batch who must have grown in the business and are closer to the exit. After the project cycle ends, farmers assisted very closed to exit can be provided with material support in another phase while a group with appreciated result can be taken on board in another phase in which they might become a cooperative and may be given only technical assistance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacky Foo <jack...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Jacky Foo]

Source: http://www.iobbnet.org/drupal/node/view/962/3175#comment-3175

++++
Re: "Pass On the Gift" system
Submitted by Jacky Foo on Thu, 03/05/2007 - 06:45.
+++++

Dear Jackson

thanks for the responses and additional info on the "Pass On the Gift"
system. I still have questions on the system and interested to learn
more about it.

In 2001, IOBB donated some pigs to an NGO that was starting an ecofarm
in Cambodia. It imposed a simple pig bank system to propagate the
"pass on the gift" to their fellow farmers by giving one piglet to the
next farmer every time the given pig has a new litter. This is the
basis of sharing - giving one away when you get many. The system was
not fully realised because the 40 ha farm was sold as the land was
converted into an airport. However I have a continuing interest on
different "pass on the Gift" systems, how they work and their long
term effect and how to it can be self-organizing.

Your "Pass on the Gift" system has many more components and therefrre
more complex (as it also includes feed, seeds, drugs, revolving
fund).

I am interested to know how the revolving fund used ?

When did Heifer Intl start the "pass on the gift" in Bamendjo and how
many cycles of beneficiaries has it undergone ?

[jackkson ntapi]

No the "Pass On the Gift" is having only two components the: animals and the seeds. The other inputs are given to boost the viability of the productive inputs (animal and seed) to serve as a tool to fight poverty and hunger in a sustainable way.

As mentioned in the article, farmers are responsible for the management of their revolving fund. We help the groups to put in place systems that will ease development of the fund, provide training that will promote good leadership in the group, that will improve capacity in managing financial records........... but we are not directly involved in the management of the fund. This fund has enable most farmer groups to develop a small credit scheme in which farmers can loan some money to make investment in their farms and pay back at a given time and with an interest determined by the group.  

Jacky Foo <jack...@gmail.com> wrote: