A few days ago I visited a Fulani community to assess the results of an adult beginners’ course in Fulfulde.  The reading, writing and calculation skills were not very good. I thought then that  there would be a further aspect to evaluate, which is not always taken into account.

I already embarked upon this subject a few months ago (abc Burkina 270). The communications given at  the celebration of World Milk Day in Ouagadougou bring me to return to this theme. Once again we repeatedly heard speakers refer to the low performance rates of local breeds, without the slightest qualification of such statements. It was said that a local cow would produce 110 litres of milk during her lactation period, or that she would produce less than 3 litres a day. These are average figures, which do not have any great significance.