Past
Until 1960, FAO dairy training in developing countries was carried out mainly through the regular Fellowship Programme. In 1960, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) training was expanded.
Between 1960 and 1965 dairy training courses were held in India for participants from Asian countries. A Training Centre for the Latin America Region was established in 1963, for the Near East Region in 1965, for English-speaking Countries in Africa in 1966 and for the Asia and the Pacific Region in 1972. The Programme is biased toward practical training in dairy technology and milk production. Courses are run at the country level and at the regional level (groups of countries within a region). In addition, interregional courses have been arranged, mainly in Denmark, for participants from the four regions where Training Centres have been established. However, more recently courses for training at managerial level have been introduced at the regional and national levels. Thus, the Programme has developed a number of courses and seminars suiting the content, level of training and geographical pattern to a variety of conditions, educational background and professional experience.
Groups catered for in the training programme include:
The main thrust of the training activities is directed at intermediate level personnel with the broad aim of assisting developing countries to:
improve milk quality, and increase the efficiency of milk production, collection and the supply of locally produced milk;
improve the quality of locally manufactured milk products and increase the efficiency of milk processing and milk products distribution.
Pattern of Dairy Training
To advise on improving and coordinating training and education in dairy science and technology throughout the world was a principal duty of the FAO Expert Panel in Dairy Education. Between 1965 and 1970 the Panel prepared studies which set out a desirable pattern of dairy education and training at different levels in countries at different stages of development, namely:
Future
At the 3rd FAO/DANIDA ad hoc Meeting on Dairy Training held in Rome in January 1974, it was agreed that the future policy should be to secure the acceptance of the philosophy that viable training programmes at vocational, intermediate and university levels in dairy husbandry (and therefore in general animal husbandry) must be developed on a country basis. However, as an interim solution to training where national facilities do not exist or are inadequate, it was considered necessary to continue to provide regional and inter-regional training in addition to giving assistance to national courses. In principle this philosophy also applies to training in dairy technology. However, it should be noted that in many developing countries there are no facilities for lower and intermediate level education in dairy technology whereas agricultural or animal health training institutions exist in most of these countries, offering general animal husbandry training (in a number of countries including instruction in dairy husbandry) as part of an agricultural or animal health curriculum. A salient feature of modern industry however is its “internationality” and the dairy industry is no exception to this general rule and, generally speaking, dairy technology is similar all over the world which is the reason why training in dairy technology can be carried out successfully even at the interregional level.
The aim of training in dairy technology should be:
to meet the demand of the dairy industry for qualified staff capable of manufacturing and distributing products satisfying quality-conscious consumers; and
to satisfy the trainees as regards the knowledge and experience gained and possibly as regards their career possibilities. Official recognition of the training would be facilitated if the training fitted into the educational system of the countries concerned.
The gradual integration of a variety of dairy technology courses at national and regional levels into existing or emerging national training systems is bound to be a longterm process. To build up national training systems is likely to take even longer. However, the FAO Dairy Training Courses could help to get the national training programmes started and speed up their development.
Provision of Milk Plants and Dairy Farms for Training
It is necessary that national schools have access to a training dairy farm and/or milk plant so that practical training need not be confined to commercial farms and milk plants. Training in the latter is certainly important but in most cases allows the participation of only a small number of trainees at one time. If training farms and milk plants operate on commercial lines, care must be taken (and sufficient resources must be provided) to ensure that the training is not subordinated to commercial interests. Training in milk production/dairy husbandry may be carried out in schools of general agriculture, animal husbandry, animal health assistants or special dairy schools depending on existing facilities and the demand for dairy husbandry/milk production specialists.
Training in dairy technology (and milk plant maintenance) may be conducted at the same schools or at food technology schools. However, for both types of training dairy husbandry/milk production and dairy technology - adequate dairy training facilities both for practical and theoretical instruction are essential.
Refresher Courses, Quality Control and Industry Advisory Services
The proposed integration of the FAO dairy training courses into formal national dairy training systems may necessitate changes in the level and type of these courses and their duration. The integration will also require continuous adjustments determined by the demand for trained manpower which in turn depends on the stage of dairy development and the pace with which it is progressing.
In addition to formal training, refresher courses on special subjects and of varying duration should be arranged to maintain the standard of efficiency of staff. It is also necessary to build up a system of quality control and extension agents, such services using national institutes as a basis. The training of extension agents should be given high priority in any dairy training system as these agents - though small in number - will have a key role to play in the refresher training of milk plant staff.
Organization for Dairy Development
Another important target group for training programme are persons responsible for the organization of dairy development since one of the most crucial constraints to development is the lack of a body to coordinate dairy development activities.
