Page 58 - Agricultural innovation

returning them. During this time, the farm provides feed, care, and vaccinations to the buffalo. Native
buffalo usually produce between 1.5 to 4 liters of milk per day, whereas Thai Murrah Buffalo produce
around 15 to 20 liters of milk per day. To improve milk yield, genetic health, and calf survival rates, the
farm is crossbreeding Lao native buffalo with Indian Murrah buffalo. This will also increase the farm’s
income from productive buffalos.
The Buffalo dairy farm produces a diverse range of products that are made using buffalo milk. The
founders started with cheese-making and Rachel, one of them, reached out to cheese-making experts
to find the right recipe. After numerous attempts, they discovered a recipe for mozzarella cheese using
buffalo milk. In addition to mozzarella cheese, the farm uses buffalo milk as the primary ingredient
in creating other products such as ice cream, yogurt, and cheesecake. These products are popular
with both domestic and foreign tourists who visit the farm. Buffalo dairy products can now be found
in many restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets in Luangprabang and Laos. Due to the increase in
production, the farm plans to export its products to China and ASEAN.
The buffalo dairy farm has made several contributions to the development of the rural
community in multiple ways. Villagers have found a new source of income by renting their buffalo
and land to the dairy farm, earning approximately 40,000 per annum. The farm also provides
employment opportunities to community members, allowing them to earn income and gain skills
in areas such as animal husbandry, veterinary care, and milking process. The farm also takes care
of the buffalo and their calves, and has implemented a breeding program to improve calf survival
rates. Additionally, the dairy farm provides new income and skills to community members who
are employed in various roles such as dairy, production, and administration. Workshops are also
conducted at the dairy farm to provide practical experience for teachers and students from the
Northern Agricultural College.

5.3.3. Opportunities and challenges

The model is a good opportunity for cooperation between businesses and farmers in the livestock
industry chain to create sustainable livestock products both economically, environmentally and
socially. However, due to the large farming space and difficulty in controlling farming households,
disease risks still occur when households raise dairy buffaloes with meat buffaloes.
The cost of producing buffalo milk products is still high because some other ingredients have to be
imported from abroad.
Climate change in the region also significantly affects the process of raising dairy buffaloes.

5.3.4. Conclusions

The sustainable development of the agricultural sector requires the contribution of many farms
and businesses that are socially and environmentally responsible. Surely, the buffalo dairy farm in
Luangprabang is one of those. Milk and other milk-related products from buffalo are innovative products
in Luangprabang and Laos. The buffalo dairy farm considerably contributes to the development of
rural communities. Renting farmers’ buffalo is win-win cooperation. The dairy farm can make a profit
while it provides a new source of income and job opportunities for local villages. Moreover, the buffalo
dairy farm is not only a farm-feeding animal, it is a place where founders with adventurous souls
cooperate with villagers, practitioners, and experts. The dairy farm is like a working room where we
can learn practical knowledge in farming, cooperate with the local community, and bring innovation
into farming production.

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 51