State Minister for agriculture Christopher Kibanzanga has applauded Dairy Development Authority (DDA) for empowering local investors to produce packaged and highly-competitive milk products on local and international market.
Speaking in Jinja agricultural show Kibanzanga said, as a result of strategic interventions in the dairy value chain, milk production has increased from 2.08 billion liters in 2015/16 to 2.23 billion liters in 2016/17 hence representing 6 per cent growth rate.
Agricultural show kicked off on Monday with a motive of empowering sector players with knowledge marketing opportunities, value addition and boosting of production.
“DDA has played a significant role in regulating and developing the dairy, thank you for delivering,” he said.
State Minister for Animal Industry Joy Kabatsi, said the mission of the DDA is to provide efficient development and regulatory services for increased production, processing and marketing of quality milk and dairy products for improved incomes and food security for dairy farmers in Uganda.
She said, last year, two milk collection centers with total collection capacity of 8,200 liters of milk were rehabilitated and equipped in Kayunga and Masindi. Over 1000 dairy farmers are already utilizing them.
“Soroti milk collection center and Entebbe Dairy Training School were also rehabilitated with the aim of skilling dairy stakeholders in Value addition and quality assurance,” she said.
And yesterday, Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi has appreciated innovations and projects exhibited in the Show including Vegetable Oil Development Project which is implemented in partnership with international fund for agriculture (IFA).