Jesa Farm Dairy announces temporary milk shortage as dry season cuts production

UGANDA – JESA Farm Dairy has announced a temporary shortage of its milk products in the Ugandan market, citing reduced production due to the prolonged dry season.

In a statement, the company said the extended dry spell has affected dairy farming communities, reducing milk production and, consequently, supplies to consumers.

“We would like to share an update on the current milk supply. We are experiencing a temporary shortage due to the prolonged dry season, which has affected all dairy farming communities and led to reduced milk production.”

The announcement comes amid an extended dry spell reported in several parts of the country, with farmers facing declining crop and livestock productivity. The dry season has become increasingly severe in recent years, with climate variability posing a growing challenge to Uganda’s agricultural sector.

Jesa Farm was established in the late 1980s (with formal dairy processing activities noted from the early 1990s) by the late Dr. James Mulwana and his wife, Sarah, initially focused on raw milk production on a modest family farm.

The company sources raw milk from networks of local smallholder farmers and cooperatives, providing stable markets and consistent payment terms.

JESA Farm Dairy, Emata sign MOU to digitize Uganda’s milk value chain

Recently, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Emata to expand digitisation across the dairy value chain and scale financial services for dairy farmers in Central Uganda.

By combining Emata’s fintech expertise with JESA’s extensive network of milk producers, the collaboration aims to transform the dairy value chain into a more transparent, efficient, and financially inclusive ecosystem.

The JESA partnership addresses traditional barriers to credit by leveraging this proven model. For many smallholder farmers, traditional bank loans are out of reach due to a lack of formal credit history.

This collaboration changes the narrative by using digital delivery histories, targeted investment in loans for high-quality feed, veterinary services, and cooling equipment, and streamlined repayments: Loans are recovered directly from milk delivery payments, creating a seamless financial loop that reduces risk for all parties.

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