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.
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