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Sunday, January 26, 2014 

Rwanda gets $240,000 for milk logistics

KIGALI, Rwanda - The Rwanda milk industry has been given $240.000 from the Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program ll (RDCP ll),

This is under the Land o Lakes International Development, but the funds were donated by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

This five- year supported program is aimed at boosting food security and increasing income for Rwanda’s smallholder dairy farmers.

“This program is aimed at reducing poverty through the expanded marketing of quality milk that will generate income, provide greater employment opportunities and also improve nutrition of rural households,”  Frank O’ Brien the Chief of Party RDCP ll said.

O’ Brien said RDCP II had grants available to support the Rwanda dairy sector until January 2017. 

The money will be used in improving infrastructure in the country’s milk collection centres, dairy processors, plus the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Land o Lakes has already bought different equipment, including motorized tricycles which will be used in transporting milk, animal feed equipment and milk cooling tanks.

Other things bought include batch pasteurizers, butter and cheese making equipment, milk cans, generators, plus a 8000 litre insulated milk transporting tank which are all to be given out to people with diaries across the country.

“I am so grateful for the partnership I started with RDCP ll, and I believe this is going to help not only me but other people in the dairy business be able to produce quality milk,” Hajji Saidi Havugimana founder of Hajji Dairy Enterprises said.  He owns one of the small-to –medium sized enterprises which is improving livelihoods in Nyanza district.

Havugimana added that such equipment was going to strengthen the dairy sector competitiveness of Rwanda improved quality and increased milk volumes.             

Different other companies from different districts of the country will benefit from such support and this will included Bugesera Milk Collection Center, Bugesera district, Mudacos in Gatsibo district, Angeana Fresh Dairy Limited, Gasabo district, IAKIB Gicumbi district, Vetoprox plus Kidaco found in Huye district, Muhe farm in Nyabihu district, NADCO Nyagatare district, Coderu and Fromagerie la Reine of Rubavu district, CSTOR Rulindo district plus Ndukundematungo, Codelu and Coopag, which are found in Rwamagana district.

The initiative particularly encourages applications from women, women-owned enterprises, and initiatives that directly enhance the livelihoods of women.

With Rwanda’s policy of improving rural livelihood and helping SMEs develop more which cover a big population of the country, this is a clear step to achieving such.

By Agnes Bateta, Sunday, January 26th, 2014