Approach and Finances

Programmatic Approach

MLLTC has the mandate to develop skills and impart knowledge on various aspects of livestock production as a strategy to promote national development and self reliance. Considering the long civil war and subsequent disruption of both production and regulatory processes provided by the government and private sector, livestock production has receded to primodial levels and is mainly concerned with subsistence. Personnel for managing the production processes are not available and markets are generally just beginning to re-establish. Due to disruption of the education system, available trainees usually have very basal qualifications.

The challenge of supporting this process and gearing a people for long used to relief supplies towards self reliance is greatly challenging. The MLLTC has therefore selected a deliberate approach to start skills development from generally low levels by training the most basic cadres of players to improve what they are already doing. As courses tailored towards improved production, quality control and basic management and business skills are emphasized. These will certainly help re-integrate trainees into normal production and conventional income generation activities as the peace agreement takes effect. Special targets for these activities are people returning from exile, demobilized soldiers, the youth and women. While training is the core business of the LTC, outreach efforts will combine extension support and enterprise development support at producer level by giving advice and working with stakeholders and partners to help interested groups and individuals to initiate and sustain livestock based income generating projects at all levels of the production chain.

Financial Implications

MLLTC is designed to deliver demand driven training courses for which beneficiaries are expected to pay. However, as most of the southern Sudanese economy is not yet monetized, initial courses are mainly offered under NGO sponsorship. For this reason, MLLTC requires financial resources to develop and implement programs that will initially support economic rehabilitation and set the foundations for long term sustainability by creating a demand for training in the livestock sector.