Rwanda, Tanzania sign MoU to strengthen dairy industry collaboration

RWANDA – Rwanda’s Minister of State, Rtrd Gen. James Kabarebe, and Tanzania’s Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Hon. Abdallah Hamis Ulega have signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing their commitment to advancing the dairy industry.

The signing ceremony that took place in Zanzibar, highlighted a joint effort to enhance the dairy sector through collaboration in expertise, technology, and best practices.

The MoU underscored the shared objective of developing sustainable dairy farming, aligning with regional initiatives aimed at bolstering economic ties.

Meanwhile, Rwanda has experienced significant growth in its dairy sector, with national milk production increasing from 142,511 Metric Tons in 2005 to nearly 1 billion Metric Tons in 2022.

The National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) outlines Rwanda’s goal to achieve 1,274,554 Metric Tons of milk per year by the end of the current year.

The success in Rwanda’s dairy sector is attributed to government efforts and partnerships with development entities to establish Milk Collection Centers (MCCs) for efficient gathering, quality testing, and 50 dairy processing units.

Presently, Rwanda has 132 MCCs with a total milk cooling capacity of 483,000 liters and 50 dairy processing units with a total processing capacity of 254,000 liters per day.

In Tanzania, the dairy sector plays a significant role in the livestock industry. Milk production increased from 3.4 billion liters in the fiscal year 2021/22 to 3.6 billion in the 2022/23 fiscal year, representing a five percent increment.

However, Tanzania still faced a milk deficit, necessitating the import of 12 billion liters.

The economic impact of the dairy sector is substantial for both countries, generating significant revenue. The collaboration between Rwanda and Tanzania presents an opportunity for knowledge exchange, potentially enhancing Tanzania’s dairy industry and contributing to its goal of self-sufficiency.

The alliance sets the stage for positive advancements in technology, research, and market access in the dairy sector, fostering economic growth and prosperity for both nations.

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