Rwanda proposes national dairy board to harmonize milk value chain & regulation

RWANDA – The government has considered the establishment of a dairy board to regulate the milk value chain and address persistent challenges in the sector, including high production costs, low returns for farmers, and weak coordination among stakeholders.

The formation of this board is a cornerstone of Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 5) and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2). The government has set a goal to increase annual milk production to 1.32 million metric tons by 2029.

To achieve this, the board will oversee a massive push for genetic improvement. This includes the recent arrival of elite Holstein-Friesian bulls from Germany, capable of producing offspring that yield over 10,000 liters per lactation—dwarfing current national averages.

Jean Claude Ndorimana, Director General for Animal Resources Development at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), said the proposed board would strengthen oversight of the dairy industry by drawing on lessons from countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and India, where similar institutions have proven effective.

“A dairy board helps to oversee the entire milk value chain. In other countries, these institutions are strong and play a key role in regulating the sector,” he said.

Ndorimana explained that such a body would help farmers address issues like delayed payments without necessarily waiting for government intervention.

He added that this system also benefits farmers as consumers, as organised collection and quality control processes ensure that only safe, high-quality milk reaches the market.

Sperto Gahiga Gashumba, President of Nyagatare Dairy Farmers Union, welcomed the move, saying a functional and empowered dairy board is long overdue.

“We, as farmers, recognised the need for such a body and, together with other stakeholders, attempted to establish a similar structure before. However, it was not adequately empowered. It was later turned into a company registered with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and replaced by the Rwanda National Dairy Platform,” he said.

For years, Rwanda has managed its dairy sector through a decentralized, multi-agency approach rather than a single, specialized board.

While this system has overseen impressive growth—rebuilding a national herd that was 80% decimated in 1994—it has also led to weak coordination and pricing mismatches that the new National Dairy Board is being created to address.

In the absence of a dedicated board, three main government bodies which manage the dairy sector include: MINAGRI (Ministry of Agriculture). The body sets the high-level policy, such as the National Dairy Strategy and the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA).

Second is the RAB (Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board). It handles technical work, including breeding programs (such as Girinka), artificial insemination, and veterinary services.

The third body is RICA (Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority), which enforces safety and quality standards for milk collection and transport.

To receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa, the Middle East and around the world, SUBSCRIBE HERE