Tanzania dairy value chain development: Pre site selection scoping study

Ben Lukuyu1, Amos Omore1, Brigitte Maass2, Gasper A. Msimbe3 and Julius Bwire4

1 - International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)2 – International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)3 – Tanzania Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development4 - Tanzania Livestock Research Institute, Tanga (TALIRI)

MilkIT Project Inception Meeting, Tanga, Tanzania, 24-25 April 2012

Objectives & Study sites

‘Ground truthing’ a site evaluation with more localized criteria (that cannot be represented in GIS)

Obtaining site level data and literature potential sites

Took the opportunity to sensitize district livestock staff about engagement in the dairy value chain work through the Irish and Milk IT projects.

Sites visitedMorogoro region

◦ Kilombero district◦ Kilosa district◦ Mvomero ditrict

Tanga region◦ Handeni district◦ Lushoto district◦ Muheza district

(to be done)

How scoping study was conducted

Guiding criteria

Farm visits to talk to farmers

Rural production to rural consumption

Rural production to urban consumption (>50,000 persons)

Visits to regions and district livestock officers, discussions to learn about the dairy VC

Obtain biophysical, livestock, human population data and district profiles where available

Visits to milk collection centres where applicable to learn about milk collection activities

MOROGORO REGION

Findings

Kilombero district (1) It mostly a wet land with

high rainfall (1200-1600 mm/year), evergreen throughout the year, with no seasonal effects and no feed shortages reported

Sugar cane growing area with a big river crossing through the district

It is sitting at the foot of the Udzungu mountains and is largely forested area.

The TAZARA national railway line passes through the district

The district has 70,000 people in 15,000 HHs

The main town (Mangula) has a population of about 15,000 people mainly Tanzania immigrants ( 20% of the total district population)

The total cattle population is 42,176 out of which 4% (1,810) is improved dairy kept by about 150 HHs.

The majority of the 40,366 indigenous cattle are reared in a ranch system.

Average cattle size for smallholders is 1-4 cattle per HH

Kilombero district (2) Average milk production:

◦ Indigenous cows , 2-5 litres per day

◦ Improved cross breds, 6-8 litres per day (no supplementation)

Most local tribes have no culture of consuming milk but town like Mangula are dominated by immigrants who consume milk increasing market opportunities.

There are no existing farmer groups

Milk sold mainly in the two local towns including Mangula

No NGO is currently involved in dairy development. Previously Irish Aid, HPI and Caritas between 2000 and 2004

Kilosa district (1)Comprises 5 divisions-

Kilosa, Kimamba and Magole lie in the lowlands; Mikumi lies in the midlands while Gairo lies in the upper highlands.

And now its time for a 3 hours puncture fix!

Kilosa formerly dominated by sisal plantations

Kilosa district (2) Was formerly dominated by

the sisal plantations until the collapse of the industry when cattle keepers became inhabitants

Initiated investments in dairy was done by Irish Aid through Kilosa Dairy farm

Area mainly inhabited by the Sangara tribe who have a poor milk drinking culture. However, other tribes with a strong milk drinking culture are Masai, Sukuma Barbeji (Mang’ati) and Wakaguru.

The district has 626,618 people Kilosa town has a population of

about 33, 450 people ( 5% of the total district population)

The total cattle population is 215,100 out of which 1% (2,405) is improved dairy.

The majority of the 210,627 indigenous cattle are kept by agro pastoralists.

Average cattle size for sedentary smallholders is 2-3 cattle per HH

Seasonality effects is a major constraint often leading to tribal conflicts over pasture and water

Kilosa district (3) Average milk

production:◦ Indigenous cows , 2-3 litres

per day

◦ Improved cross breds, 5-8 litres per day

Three main milk traders are involved in milk marketing in the area (DESA milk, Tanga fresh Dairy and Shambani milk).

The have established milk collection and selling points in the main towns – Mamba, Dumila, Gairo and Mikumi

There are no active groups existing

Milk marketing outlets◦ Tanga fresh takes milk for

cooling and eventually sold to the Dar es Salaam and other distant markets

◦ Shambani and DESA milk – sends fresh milk to the nearby Morogoro urban market

◦ Milk is also locally (towns and rural areas) traded by motorcycle and bicycle informal traders

Mvomero district (1) It is a newly created district

comprises four divisions (Turaini, Mvomero, Mlali and Mgeta)

The total cattle population is 187,350 out of which 5% (9,314) is improved dairy.

The majority of the 178,036 indigenous cattle are kept by agro pastoralists.

Seasonality effects is a major constraint leading to long travel distances in search of feed and water.

Flooding is a major constraint during the wet season – reducing grazing areas

Livestock keepers generally own large herds of cattle

Average milk production is about 5 litres per cow per day

Milk is mainly sold to the nearby Morogoro urban town by private milk traders

TANGA REGION

Findings

Handeni

Lushoto

Handeni district (1) Area mainly inhabited by the

Masai, Mbulus, Barbeig (Mangati) and Singwazi.

The total cattle population is 126,780 out of which 1% (1,045) is improved dairy.

The majority of the 124,735 indigenous cattle are kept by agro pastoralists.

Average cattle size for sedentary smallholders is 4-5 cattle per HH

Seasonality effects are a major constraint often leading to feed and water shortages

Area dominated by natural grazing and virtually no other alternative feed resources.

Tanga fresh dairy is the only milk trader owning a milk collection centre in Handeni◦ Ministry of livestock helped

mobilize farmers to register and deliver milk to the collection centre

◦ There are no formal groups existing (farmers deliver milk as individuals or informal organized cells (pooling of milk for delivery and payment)

◦ Farmer paid twice a month

◦ Evening milk is not collected. Farmers either sell it locally, give to calves or consume.

◦ Have informally organized to access credit facilities from a neighborng private agrovet shop for animal health services against milk supplied.

Handeni milk collection Centre in the back ground (owned by Tanga fresh dairy)

Privately owned Handeni Veterinary Centre in the fore front (provides credit against milk supplied to registered members of the milk collection centre)

Lushoto district (1) Situated in the northern

part of Tanga The district lies on the

foot of the western Usambara mountains rising from 300 – 2100m above sea level

The lowland covers 25% of district

The estimated population of Lushoto is 437, 037 people.

It has bi modal type of rainfall (800-2000mm per annum)

There are 119,492 cattle of which 24% (29,200) are improved cattle. Improve cattle most found in the highlands while indigenous in the lowlands

The average cattle per household in the highlands is 2-3 and >10 in the lowlands

The common feeds are crops residues, Napier grass, Guatemala grass, cut grass and grazing in the lowlands

AI is being introduced in the highlands

Lushoto district (2)Milk is sold to Tanga

fresh Ltd. (75%) through the existing 4 milk collection centres ◦ Luchoto (1990)◦ Shume (1990)◦ Mwangoi (2007)◦ Mbumburi (2009)

25% of the rest of the milk is sold locally

Local milk prices are Tsh. 800 vs. Tsh. 480 at collection centres (Tanga Fresh)

There are three livestock keepers networks (Mviwambuso, Viwatalu and Uwalu) present. They draw membership from farmer groups

There are three milk processing farms – into cheese and butter◦ Irente farm◦ Montessori sisters◦ Kifongiru sisters

OTHER INITIATIVES IN THE AREA

• Tanga Dairy Development Project

• Highlands Initiative (AHI) coordinated by ICRAF

• Soil erosion control and agro forestry project (SECAP)

• Land O’ Lakes (just beginning)

Synthesis (1)

District

Feeding systems

(proportion of farmers using)

Average milk prices per litres

(Tsh.) Existence of groups

Zero/semigrazing (%)

Grazing (%)

Collection

centres

Local market

Kilombero 10 90 - 800 None

Kilosa 10 90 480 800 Few

Mvomero 10 90 - 700 Few

Handeni - 100 530* 800 Informal (very few)

Lushoto 25 75 500 700-800 Many

* - Price offered by middlemen

Synthesis (2)

DistrictRural to rural

Link to urban markets

Potential to improve feed

Cattle population

Indigenous Improved

Kilombero +++ + + 40,489 1,689

(4%)

Kilosa ++ ++ ++ 215,100 2,405 (1%)

Mvomero + +++ ++ 187,350 9,314 (5%)

Handeni +++ + ++ 126,780 1,045 (1%)

Lushoto + +++ +++ 119,492 29,200 (24%

+ - Low++ - Medium+++ - High

Synthesis (3)

Morogoro ◦ Some tribes no habit of

milk consumption ◦ Some districts may offer

huge potential for future development of both production & consumption

Tanga ◦ Pastoralists keep high

no. of cattle heads ◦ Tanga Fresh Ltd. has

monopoly of milk processing low prices

◦ Some organization of producers already occurring in some area

Cross-cutting issues ◦ Seasonality of feed and milk production◦ Generally low production/cow ◦ Neither cultivation of fodders nor any conservation ◦ Very little milk processing performed ◦ Very low proportion of improved dairy cattle

Synthesis (4)

Fit to guiding criteria:Rural production to rural consumption: o Morogoro: Kilosa, oTanga: Handeni

Rural production to urban (>50,000 persons) consumption : oMorogoro: Mvomero; oTanga: Lushoto and Muheza (to be visited)

Kilombero in Morogoro appears unsuitable due to relatively low cattle population and dominant culture of no milk consumption

The end… Thank you.An Interview session Lushoto highlands

A zero grazing system in KilomberoThe end of the road…an engine knock!