Thank you to Charles for sending in this message a couple of months ago.  I've had it in my in-box intending to reply at the right moment.

Firstly, although I only know the Tanzania system third-hand, mainly through Charles's reports, I have followed the way the programme has developed and I believe it has much to recommend it.  To begin with, the programme was developed by the Tanzania Dairy Board with, as I understand it, little or no help from outside.  This meant that it started small and it had to be financially viable from the very beginning.  Also, somewhat unusually, it developed in one of the more isolated rural areas - rather than in the Capital ... which is the way these things usually go.  It also placed emphasis on getting dairy farmers to supply milk to schools where their own children were also pupils.  A recipe for success?  It would seem as if it was.

I particularly like Charles's comment that:  It is difficult to start, grows slowly, but lasts longer  these are words really come from the heart and from practical experience.  I would suggest any organisation looking to start a school milk programme adopts these words as its motto.

As Charles mentions, he has made a number of presentations on the school milk system in Tanzania.  Two of these were at FAO sponsored school milk conferences, both of which took place in 2005, viz:
Uganda:
http://www.fao.org/es/ESC/common/ecg/187/en/Tanzania.pdf
China:
http://www.fao.org/es/ESC/common/ecg/188/en/Development_of_School_Milk_in_Tanzania.pdf

These reports merit reading and could perhaps serve as the basis for further discussion on the List.

Seeing that two conferences were held in 2005 - the record was three conferences held in 1999, the year after the first conference was held - seems a world away as we sit here in 2012.  Still, I see from Professor Jianping Jiang message from China today that others would also like to see these conferences start up again.  Who knows?

Looking forward to hearing your comments on Charles's papers.

Michael


From: FAO-Dairy-Outlook
Sent: 24 May 2012 16:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: comment: Kenya launches pilot school milk programme targeting 18 rural schools

Michael

This Kenyan information is very interesting. But as regards funding I still insist that broadbased funding is the best option as I presented at the SMFconference in Kampala. The Tanzanian model of funding the programme by parents, milk processors and a donor started in 2005 has now reached over 65,000 school children. It is difficult to start, grows slowly, but lasts longer.

Charles Mutagwaba

 www.tanzaniadairyboard.or.tz<http://www.tanzaniadairyboard.or.tz>


From: FAO-Dairy-Outlook <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Sent: Wednesday, 23 May 2012, 13:05
Subject: 2 messages: Kenya launches pilot school milk programme targeting 18 rural schools

What an interesting article!  Perhaps others on the list would like to comment on it?

In the mid-1980's Kenya began a national government-funded programme.   This reached a peak of 44 million litres distributed in 1989 only to fall to  3 million litres in 1997, and subsequently stopped altogether.

In many countries, relying on government funding has not proved to be an aid to sustainability:  government and politicians change and the new entrants rarely wish to finance projects associated with their predecessors.

Also, having free milk from the start, makes it very difficult to introduce parent-funding ... even in rich countries.

Some years ago, a private dairy in Nairobi, Brookside, introduced a programme to encourage privately-funded schools to served milk.  This was fully-funded by the parents/schools.  Does anyone know if this still exists?  Checking the company's internet site, I don't see any mention of it:  http://www.brookside.co.ke/index.htm

Regards,

Michael
=============================
Dear DOL and All,

Good to see Dennis Oounga's article (Sunday Sun 20may12) on the pilot school milk programme in rural Kenya.

Recently, I was lucky to attend the 8th African Dairy Conference & Exhibition in Nairobi (25-27.Apr.12), and visit nearby Tassells Dairies. It's good to see dairy developing in East Africa.

With best wishes,
Bruce Scholten
Durham University, UK





From: FAO-Dairy-Outlook
Sent: 22 May 2012 09:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Kenya launches pilot school milk programme targeting 18 rural schools

Dear all

Please find attached a news clipping (20 May 2012) about the launch of a pilot school milk programme targeting 18 rural schools in Kenya.

The project is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and implemented by the Smallholder Dairy Commercialization Progamme.

Regards

Tezira

TEZIRA LORE
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)  |  www.ilri.org<http://www.ilri.org/>




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