Transforming Local Dairy Sector: Transforming Local Dairy Sector

In a bid to accelerate import subs­ titution of dairy products and strengthen rural economies, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Pro­ gramme (UNDP) in Cameroon, Ma­ thieu Ciowela, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Livestock, Fishe­ ries, and Animal Industries (MINE­ PIA), Dr. Taiga, last July 23, in Yaounde. Central to the discussions was the enhancement of Cameroon’s dairy sector, particularly through technical support for project formulation, local milk processing, and succession planning within pastoral commu­ nities. The partnership, Mathieu Ciowela explained, aims to directly address the structural gaps in do­ mestic dairy production. Current reports from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) reveal that, Cameroon produces approxi­ mately 176,000 to 185,000 metric tonnes of milk annually. However, with national consumer demand exceeding 300,000 metric tonnes per year, the country faces an an­ nual supply deficit of over 120,000 metric tonnes resulting to increased imports. To plug this gap, Cameroon spends over FCFA 40.6 billion an­ nually on importing over 20,596 tonnes of milk and dairy deriva­ tives. To curb the importation d...