A new campaign hopes to promote milk drinking among Tanzanians to improve nutrition and boost the country’s dairy sector.

An article on IPP Media outlines how the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) Programme, which has been operating since 2008, will be expanded through a further grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The second phase of the program aims to benefit more than 136,000 farm families in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It will support the organization of dairy farmer associations that can act as dairy hubs to provide services that smallholder dairy farmers require to increase their productivity and market access. In Tanzania, the focus will be on helping to establish new technologies such as breeding techniques, innovative approaches to fodder production and alternative energy sources.

The program is a joint effort between Heifer International and partners, including the World Agroforestry Centre, the International Livestock Research Institute, African Breeders Services and TechnoServe.

The World Agroforestry Centre’s role has been in helping to promote fodder from leguminous trees that increases milk production and establishing effective extension services to disseminate these technologies to farmers.

“Our goal is to change the face of the dairy industry in order to improve food security, nutrition and create sustainable livelihoods for the East Africa Community,” said Elizabeth Bintliff, Vice President for Africa programmes at Heifer International.

Read the full story: Why dairy industry important in improving food security, nutrition

Find out more about the East Africa Dairy Development Programme