Milk and Dairy Products, Post-Harvest Losses and Food safety in sub-Saharan Africa and the Near East - regional approaches to national challenges

Ethiopia, Kenya, Syria, Tanzania and Uganda

Significant post-harvest losses of milk and dairy products have been reported in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Near East. Surveys by FAO and partner institutes indicates that this is due to a combination of poor production/handling practices and lack of adequate technical know-how along the dairy chain. There is an increasing demand for milk and dairy products in the region and consumers have the right to expect these products to be reasonably safe and wholesome. A number of Governments in the regions have requested FAO to address these issues and provide assistance in reducing losses and improving the safety of milk and milk products. The objective of the project is to improve the welfare of resource-poor livestock owners and low-income consumers through improved supply and marketing of safe, better quality milk and dairy products with emphasis on street milk and dairy products. The project is funded by the FAO Action Programme for the Prevention of Food Losses (PFL) and focuses on the informal and small-scale sectors. These sectors currently hold the largest share (80-90 percent) of the market for milk and dairy products in the participating countries.

The project covers Ethiopia, Kenya, Syria, Tanzania and Uganda and focuses on key thematic areas: (A) technology exchange, adaptation and transfer, (B) training and (C) awareness raising and building a sustainable information platform.

It is divided into three phases: (1) inception, analyses and preparation of a detailed workplan, (2) implementation and (3) evaluation, recommendations and follow-up. During phase 1 activities centred on bringing together the relevant stakeholders from participating countries to share experience and, through an iterative process, develop the detailed workplan for phase 2 which is currently ongoing.