In Senegal, 90% of the milk is imported as powder, whereas 30% of the Senegalese population make a living of cattle farming. La Laiterie du Berger enables those milk producers to have a regular revenue by purchasing their milk. La Laiterie du Berger produces delicious traditional dairy products, the only ones made from local Senegalese milk.
Dolima: good for me, good for my country!
This slogan explains the uniqueness of La Laiterie du Berger (The Herder’s milk farm). Not only does the milk farm produce delicious dairy products inspired by traditional recipes, they also increase the supply of locally produced milk.
Bagore Bathily is a vet and took care of nomadic Fulani herders’ cows for several years in Northern Senegal, who are living in poverty and not finding customers to sell their milk to. In 2005 he decided to create a social business in Senegal, La Laiterie du Berger, to improve the living conditions of local herders, collecting their milk and producing dairy products made from locally sourced milk.
La Laiterie du Berger contributes to develop a local dairy sector, sourcing its milk from local herders and facilitating their access to services like cattle food and credit.
That’s why they named their product “Dolima” which means “I want more” in Wolof!
herder families living better by selling milk to La Laiterie du Berger, on which 50% are led by women
of annual revenues per breeder as milk supplier in 2019, +77% versus 2018
of fresh milk collected daily
tons of animal feed delivered to breeders
innovative dairy mini-farms implemented for breeders
beneficiaries
Furlani herder, Senegal
Yero, like his father and grandfather, is a herder. He belongs to a tribe of Fulani herders, who historically are nomads. Like the majority of Fula in the countryside, Yero also spent long time alone on foot, travelling with his family and cattle throughout the west African hinterland, moving the herds in search of water and better pasture. They were travelling and selling the cows to support the family. He always wished to settle down and send his kids to school.
When Bagore Bathily started with La Laiterie Du Berger, Yero started to sell the milk to the company. The income was regular and soon Yero decided to settle down and produce milk. Today, he is supporting his family selling the milk, which allows him not to travel anymore and to grow his herd.