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By Annonciata Byukusenge
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), in collaboration with the Rwanda Agriculture Development Board (RAB) and other partners, launched the second phase of the Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP2).
This transformative six-year project, worth over Rwf 127 billion, aims to uplift over 175,000 dairy farmers across 27 districts by reducing poverty, increasing milk production, and mitigating the dairy sector’s impact on climate change.
While the first phase of the RDDP saw success, persistent challenges such as suboptimal milk productivity and poor market infrastructure continue to hinder the sector’s full potential. RDDP2 will address these issues by expanding the project’s scope and implementing new solutions.
“The first phase of RDDP worked in only 14 districts and supported 100,000 farmers,” explained Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary of MINAGRI.
“Now, RDDP2 will work with 27 districts, and in Kigali, we will focus on trade and boosting milk productivity.” He added
Key improvements in this phase include enhancing milk transportation through cold chain systems, ensuring higher-quality milk production, and better market access for farmers.
Governor of Eastern Province, Pudence Rubingisa, expressed his enthusiasm for the project and its potential to transform farmers’ livelihoods in the region.
“We expect this project to improve the lives of farmers in the Eastern Province significantly. We are also looking forward to expanding Milk Collection Centers to better serve our communities,” he said.
Nyirangirababyeyi Floride, a widow and farmer from Nyarugenge sector, Rugando cell, Gako village, shared her experience. “In 2019, I received a cow through the Gira Inka initiative, which has helped my family’s development. However, like many farmers, I still struggle with limited knowledge and skills on how to properly care for my cows,” she said.
“I believe that with RDDP2, my cow’s milk production will increase from the current five liters a day to possibly 15 liters.”
Jacqueline Murekatete, another farmer from the Gahini sector, echoed these concerns. “We need more hangars to store fodder during droughts, and more support with intrauterine insemination to breed cows with higher milk production,” she urged.
Representing Rwanda’s dairy processing industry, James Gatari from Inyange Industries highlighted the need for better quality animal feeds. “One of the main challenges is the lack of nutritious animal feeds, which directly affects milk quality,” he said. “Our dairy industries require around 1 million liters of milk daily to meet production demands.”
Speaking on behalf of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Country Director Dagmawi Habte-Selassie expressed his commitment to overcoming these challenges.
“We are excited to partner with MINAGRI and other stakeholders on this journey. RDDP2 will modernize the dairy sector by scaling up climate-smart practices, improving financial access through private sector collaboration, and digitalizing the entire value chain,” he said.
RDDP2 represents a significant leap forward for Rwanda’s dairy sector, with the potential to enhance milk production, boost the livelihoods of rural households, and combat the challenges posed by climate change.
