Governance, integrity & transparency: Unlocking Africa’s dairy value chain

KENYA – Africa’s dairy sector is entering a decisive phase where governance, integrity, and transparency will determine its future competitiveness and sustainability.

With weak governance frameworks, the sector struggles with inefficiencies and risks that undermine both quality and consumer trust.

Yet, the opportunity lies in harmonising regulations, embedding integrity at every step, and fostering inclusive governance that empowers farmers, regulators, and industry leaders alike.

Under the theme Enhancing Governance, Integrity & Transparency in the Dairy Value Chain in Africa, AFDIS brought together a panel which explored the pressing governance challenges and opportunities shaping the continent’s dairy sector.

Roderick Daddey-Adjei, Deputy CEO of the Food Division at Ghana’s Food & Drugs Authority, highlighted persistent weaknesses in milk storage, pointing to hygiene lapses and knowledge gaps among smallholder farmers. Without adequate training and infrastructure, milk safety and quality remain vulnerable.

Mildred Kosgei, Dairy Development Officer at the Kenya Dairy Board, added that incorrect knowledge among producers, coupled with the high cost of production and limited diversification of dairy products, continues to constrain growth and competitiveness.

Additionally, the panel emphasized that transparency is central to building consumer trust and unlocking regional trade.

Tendayi Marecha, Secretary General at Dairiboard Zimbabwe, argued for harmonisation of regulations and standards, stressing that African dairy products must be standardized to enable free trade across borders.

Roderick acknowledged the difficulty of achieving standardisation for local African foods, noting that it requires more study and research to balance cultural diversity with regulatory consistency.

Concurrently, Integrity emerged as a recurring theme. Mildred Kosgei insisted that integrity is achievable if stakeholders simply commit to doing the right thing.

Tendayi reinforced this by stating that integrity must begin from the farmer and extend to the consumer, with compliance embedded at every step of the value chain. This farmer-to-consumer continuum of responsibility was seen as critical to safeguarding quality and ensuring fair practices.

Governance for Vision 2030

Roderick pointed out that collaboration is key fulfil vision 2030. He stated that FDA Ghana has introduced progressive licensing schemes designed to educate small and medium-scale farmers while gradually raising compliance standards.

Mildred emphasized that governance must involve broad participation across the value chain, celebrating achievements and reinforcing positive examples of good governance.

Tendayi concluded that transparency will remain the cornerstone, ensuring accountability and credibility as the sector expands.

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