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Few words about our first project: It was started together with HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL.
HEIFER
PROJECT INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL/EASTERN
EUROPE ROMANIA Furioso-North
Star Horse Revitalization in Jucu Village
PROJECT
HOLDER Furioso-North
Star Horse
Breeders Association Jucu
Nr.69A Jucu
Village, Cluj Count, Romania Contact
Person: Dr. Barna Bojthe, D.V.M.
OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES The
project will give priority to the neediest people in the village, including
those who are unemployed, those whose family land was recently returned to them,
and those who are interested in continuing farming. Prior
to the delivery of the horses, recipients will receive training in horse care
and management. Recipients will restore or build adequate stables with
appropriate ventilation and lighting. Farmers will use existing materials to
complete these minimal repairs. Included in the rehabilitation of the shelters
will be the construction of cement platforms for composing manure. Farmers will
purchase the cement themselves by selling their farm products. Forty-five
mare will be distributed to 45 families over a period of five years. Two
stallions will be kept in the farm of the best horse breeders, who wil be
selected by the vote group, for breeding purposes. Farmers will use the draft
horses for plow work on their farms, replacing tractors and other heavy,
outdated farm equipment that pollute the local environment. An increase in
productivity will result in higher crop yields, enabling the farmers to earn
additional income from sale of more products. The
horses will also be used to move all farm products as well as firewood and
construction materials. The horses will also be used as a source of
transportation, from witch farmers can earn additional income. In Romania, horse
owner/drivers are the equivalent of truck owner/drivers in the US, and this will
be a lucrative opportunity for farmers to earn additional income. Manure
will be collected and composted,
providing an environment friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. Men
,women, children and the elderly will be involved in the care of the horses and
farms. Men and boys will chop firewood, scythe the hay, and plow the land. Women
and girls will feed and water the livestock and clean the shelters. The elderly
will teach the younger generations about agricultural techniques. Farmers
in Mezohegyes, Hungary and Motesice, Slovakia breed Furioso horses as well..
Cross visits between the project participants and other horse breeders will
create an opportunity for the exchange of best practices. Additionally, a
network and exchange program with these established Furioso horse breeding
groups will be created, further cementing the success of the project. TRAINING The
local veterinarians and livestock specialists will provide basic training in
horse care. This training will cover the general care, nutrition, breeding,
offspring management, and use of horses for draft power. Trainers will put
special emphasis on the value of local breeds and the qualities of the Furioso
breed. Farmers
will also receive training in organic farming. Additionally,
special training in gender and the involvement of women and girls in livestock
raising will be provided. Horse care is traditionally a male-dominated
occupation, and the project holders desire to see all members of the family
involved in the care of the horses and farms. The men and women will share work
equally. HPI
staff will provide technical assistance and training in the Cornerstones Model
to provide a better understanding of the social and spiritual role of the
program. PASSING
ON THE GIFT One
female Furioso mare will be passed on for each one received. Female offspring at
the age of two years will be recorded in a herd book and receive a certificate
of pedigree before being passed on to another family. Male horses at the age of
two years will be sold in Cluj by the Association, and the income will be used
to purchase a female to be passed on. Because males have a higher market value
than females, any additional income raised by the sale of male offspring will be
used to further develop this horse project. The
health and quality of the pass-ones will be tested and monitored by local
veterinarians on a regular basis. SUPPORT
FROM OTHER SOURCES The
group will provide $
20,000 in addition to the $ 80,000 provided by HPI. These
funds, a total of $ 4,000 per year for five years, will be used to cover
additional expenses for agricultural supplies, travel and vehicle operations,
and office expenses. The money will be raised by the sale of farm products and
horse/drawn transportation services. The project
has the support of the veterinary schools in Budapest, Hungary and Cluj,
Romania, the Agriculture Department of Cluj County, the Rotary Club in Cluj, and
the local veterinarian Dr. Barna Bojthe. KEY WORDS: Animal
Health
Draft animals
Genetic improvement
Group development
Indigenous breeds Original:
12 February 2001 Approved: 28 February 2001 |
