Land O’Lakes International Development has launched a three-year, $8 million (EUR5.8m) USDA-funded dairy development programme in Tanzania, which is expected to directly improve incomes and strengthen food security for nearly 18,000 farmers and agricultural input and service providers. Building on Land O’Lakes previous USAID-funded dairy development initiatives, TDDP will improve milk production all along the value chain, focusing on the Northern Corridor areas of Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Mara districts. Market development activities will focus on the entire country.
About 10 per cent of the milk produced annually enters the market, with the remainder consumed at home or wasted due to inadequate collection systems. While Tanzania possesses Africa’s third-largest cattle herd, and nearly two-thirds of the rural poor already own livestock, most farmers are unable to enjoy the incomes and improved food security that the dairy industry provides in neighbouring countries such as Kenya.
Land O’Lakes’ programme will provide training and technical assistance to increase 17,000 farmers’ incomes by 25 per cent, and develop market linkages to improve the dairy cold chain.
It will also strengthen the supply of key inputs, boost the quality of Tanzanian dairy products to reduce import substitution, and improve awareness about milk’s nutritional benefits to raise domestic consumption among 1.5 million consumers.