IRINGA: A total of 92,831 (30% are women) dairy farmers and value chain actors across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar have benefited from the Tanzania Inclusive Processor-Producer Partnership (TI3P) in Dairy Project since its launch in March 2022, with women accounting for 30 percent of all beneficiaries.
The project is funded by the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is implemented in partnership with Heifer International, Land O’Lakes Venture37, and Tanager to strengthen Tanzania’s dairy value chain, increase productivity, and improve incomes for smallholder dairy farmers.
Since its inception, the project has facilitated the disbursement of over 42bn/- to processors, farmers, input suppliers, and other dairy value chain actors. The financing has supported the establishment of new dairy processing plants, as well as the expansion and modernization of 17 existing facilities through investments totalling 22.8bn/-. In addition, financing for 3,330 improved dairy heifers valued at more than 11.09bn/- has significantly contributed to increasing milk production and productivity nationwide.
The project has also enhanced access to extension services, quality inputs, markets, and financing opportunities for dairy farmers and processors. Nineteen (19) dairy processors have participated in Enterprise Acceleration Interventions aimed at improving operational efficiency, profitability, and utilization of installed processing capacity.
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In efforts to promote inclusive growth, TADB provided 1.4bn/- in matching grants to 1,216 smallholder farmers, including 397 women, helping reduce barriers to accessing heifer loans and expanding dairy investments. Furthermore, five women-owned dairy processing enterprises received milk pasteurization equipment worth 75m/- to strengthen market access for livestock keepers.
Another five women processors benefited from TI3P matching grants, while 12 processors received grants designed to promote gender equality and inclusion within the dairy value chain businesses.
To improve milk collection systems and enhance milk quality, the project has established and strengthened 45 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) alongside several Dairy Interest Groups.
These groups now collectively collect more than 25,664 liters of milk daily, improving market linkages and strengthening farmer bargaining power.
Speaking during the Milk Week Expo in Iringa, TI3P Project Coordinator Joseph Mabula said the project has facilitated the establishment of 23 milk collection centers across the country at a total investment cost of 1.157bn/-.
The initiative was implemented in collaboration with dairy processors, farmer cooperatives, and project implementing partners.
Mabula noted that the project is also addressing policy and regulatory bottlenecks affecting growth in the dairy sector while integrating cross-cutting priorities such as gender equality and nutrition to ensure sustainable sector development.
He called upon all stakeholders to continue working together to address challenges facing the dairy industry and maximize opportunities created through the TI3P project and TADB interventions.