‘Now I understand why licks are important for cattle’ stated a farm worker who participated in the practical farming course presented by the Cheetah Conservation Fund in partnership with Agra Co-operative. To date four courses have been presented to 90 farm workers and farmers.  Targeted were those stakeholders in the livestock sector who are usually excluded from similar programmes due to literacy and language barriers. CCF and Agra are to be commended for their efforts, said one of the senior participants.
A structured approach needs to be taken to make available, over time, training in all aspects of livestock farming. In order to address this need, the Cheetah Conservation Fund is in the process of developing additional training courses including financial management, marketing of livestock and the sustainable utilization of wildlife within the conservancy framework. This innovative approach of using agricultural training as a vehicle to integrate biodiversity conservation into the livestock farming system is a powerful tool in building a positive relationship between farmers and the fragile environment, and thereby improving sustainable production.

Practicing to pull a calf