Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has initiated a multi-year sponsorship project, supporting the Shire Highlands Milk Producers Association (SHMPA) in Malawi, a developing country in southeast Africa.

The primary objective of the project is to support smallholder dairy farmers in the Shire Highlands to improve their capabilities to manage the milk production process.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health will provide financial and in-kind support that can annually be adapted as specified by SHMPA. Support will initially focus on increasing milk production by improvement of animal health and infrastructure.

Short-term projects include the provision of funds to build and equip a veterinary laboratory as well as the supply of some urgently needed veterinary diagnostics and medicines. The scope of the support may also be extended to the improvement of milk quality, animal husbandry and farm management. In-kind support may consist of the sharing of veterinary expertise as well as offering education and training.

Materials will preferably be sourced on site, thereby sustaining the local economy. The funds are earmarked for specific objectives and SHMPA management will be responsible for using these resources efficiently and reporting on their allocation.

Funding will be generated by customer-focused, sales-related incentive programmes linked to the cattle business of participating operations.