Dairy Board To Install Ultra-Modern Milk Access Points In Schools To Boost Consumption -

By Valentine Oforo

THE Tanzania Dairy Board (TDB) is working efforts to
construct eight ultra-modern milk access points (MAPs) in different primary and
secondary schools within the two regions of Mbeya and Morogoro, being in
concerted efforts to spur milk consumption from grassroots.

The robust project which is part of preliminary
implementation of the eagerly -awaited School Milk Program (SMP) is expected to
commence this month, January 2024, and it will gobble up to 40m/- upon completion.

Giving an exclusive interview to this publication in
Dodoma Capital City, the TDB Registrar,
Dr. George Msalya said that the state-owned board is executing the
useful project in cooperation with the Ministry of Livestock and Finishers, and
key stakeholders, chiefly the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), milk
processors as well as parents.

“The milk access points to be constructed will be
equipped with all necessary modern facilities for milk storage and safety, such
as milk refrigerators and others,” he informed.

He added that TDB was however continuing running
diverse efforts to source more funds and supports in order to extent the vital service to more schools
in more regions across the country.

“The major focus under the School Milk Program
(SMP), the program which expects to cover the whole country, is to reach out to a total of 100 schools
during it first leg, whereby the number of the beneficiary schools be increased
in every year for the five consecutive years of the implementation with the sealing number set for 625 schools by 2027,” he detailed.

In more efforts to extend the vital services to the
young bloods in schools, he said the board was also implementing to roll out
milk towards students in a total of 134 schools in eight regions.

The regions, according to him include Dar es
Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Tanga, Arusha and Kilimanjaro.

“For instance,
in Kilimanjaro we entered into agreement with the Kilimanjaro-based
Galax Food and Beverages Ltd to design and produce the small-sized processed
yogurt milk sachets that is marketed to the pupils at the patriotic prices of
around 500/-,” he briefed.

He cited financial constrains as a big snag denying
the board to execute the program at intended scope and quality.

“The program, School Milk Program (SMP)
requires at least 15bn/- in order to run for at least five years, the healthful
program targets to benefit students within a total of 500 schools across the
country, and for both purposes, improving their (students) health and cognitive
levels,” Dr Msalya.

Under the timely program, the milk products to be
distributed to the students will be the processed milk, either pasteurized,
UHT, cultured milk or yoghurt depending on the availability and infrastructure
of the area, and the quantity of milk supplied can are of 150mls to 200mls
produced, whereby parents are sensitized about the benefits of the program and
are encouraged to contribute money for the purchase of milk for their children
to take during the break time.

Numerous records prove that in Tanzania school milk
feeding programs started way back in early 2000s, and has involved different
models (ways of implementation), and has reached a peak of 125 schools and
99,000 children in the recent past. But despite the efforts, the vital program
been limited in terms of coverage, access of dairy products to school children,
involvement of stakeholders,” according to Dr. Msalya.