DDA’s Dairy Policy Action Plan, which came into effect last year, outlines a number of measures to be taken to boost consumption, incentivize production, improve quality and tap into export potential. These include enhancing infrastructure, curbing waste and loss along the supply chain, enhancing operations at milk collection centres and processing facilities across the country, improving the overall quality and shelf-life of milk and meeting food-safety standards for exports. A growing demand for milk can also help incentivize investment throughout the dairy value chain – from production, to upstream and downstream operations –, which would also bring higher productivity gains, year-round supplies, and better quality.
”Milk plays a very important role in Uganda, not just economically for the millions of households, but also provides a core foundation for proper childhood growth and health. As DDA we are putting a major emphasis on increasing milk consumption domestically through the School Milk Program, and also expanding our export market portfolio for increased foreign exchange that translates to more earnings for our farmers. The dairy export competitiveness study is timely to re-enforce our quest for additional export markets for our milk. We are grateful for the efforts and collaboration with FAO in ensuring the growth of our dairy sector,’ said Samson Akankiza, the Acting Executive Director at Dairy Development Authority.
These efforts to further strengthen the dairy sector come at a time when raw milk production has surged from 1.9 billion litres in 2014 to 3.2 billion litres in 2022. Whereas exports, although on the increase in recent years, remain overly dependent on demand from key East Africa export markets, including neighbouring Kenya.
Moreover, the DDA estimates that domestic household consumption of milk stands at just over a half litre (550 millilitres) a day. This is 68% less than the dietary intake recommended by FAO and WHO, meaning Ugandans consume their recommended milk intake for about 2 out of the 7 days in a week.
FAO Representative in Uganda Antonio Querido said, "We are proud to announce our collaboration with the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) to boost exports of Ugandan milk and dairy products, which will contribute to the ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda's dairy sector.”
“As we celebrate World Milk Day, FAO is committed to supporting Uganda in its efforts to improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers and traders, and boost exports of high-quality Ugandan milk and dairy products", Querido added.
To help achieve this target and transformation, Querido pledged FAO’s continued support to the DDA, to build on the successes of previous efforts while at the same time contributing to the development of the country’s dairy sector.
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