Successful Dairy Value Chain Roundtable Held at IPRC Musanze

On 29 August 2024 the Dairy Service, Training and Innovation Centre (STIC) held a significant roundtable event focused on the dairy value chain at IPRC Musanze, bringing together key stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil society. The event, which is part of the ongoing efforts under the Nuffic Orange Knowledge Programme, aimed to address challenges and identify opportunities within Rwanda's dairy sector.

The event commenced with welcome remarks by the Deputy Principal of IPRC Musanze, who highlighted the critical role of strengthening agricultural value chains in ensuring food security and enhancing nutrition in Rwanda. He emphasized that platforms like the Dairy STIC are vital for fostering collaboration between academia and industry to address the pressing issues within the agricultural sector.

Kevin Ngei, representing the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, underscored the importance of sustainability, collaboration, and scalability in improving the dairy sector. His remarks set the tone for the day’s discussions, which were centred on building a resilient ecosystem for the dairy industry.

Dr. Diederik de Boer, Director of Maastricht School of Management’s (MSM) Expert Centre on Emerging Economies (ECEE), welcomed participants and introduced the objectives of the roundtable. He stressed the importance of multi-sector collaboration, including involvement from the financial sector, civil society, education institutions, and the private sector, to develop a sustainable and dynamic dairy industry. Dr. de Boer also pointed out that these roundtable discussions are crucial for sharing knowledge, identifying priority areas, and setting a strategic and sustainable agenda for the next three years.

The Dairy STIC Plant Manager from Alpha Milk, provided an insightful presentation on the opportunities and challenges in Rwanda’s dairy market. He outlined how the STIC partnership has contributed to increased milk yield, improved product quality, and enhanced nutrition and livelihoods. He also discussed the significant roles played by both private and public partners in advancing the dairy sector, despite existing limitations such as logistical challenges, and packaging issues.

The educational perspective was provided by the STIC Coordinator at IPRC Musanze, who highlighted the institution’s significant contributions to the dairy sector. The coordinator emphasized that IPRC Musanze is committed to training future professionals, ensuring that students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in the dairy industry. The institution is also actively engaged in research and innovation, developing new products and technologies that push the boundaries of dairy processing. Furthermore, IPRC Musanze plays a vital role in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application through extension services that bring innovations directly to the communities that need them. Additionally, the institution fosters a strong connection between academia and industry by collaborating with industry stakeholders, facilitating internships, joint research projects, and community outreach activities.

Dairy Sector Faces Challenges, but Prospects Are Bright
The discussions revealed several gaps in the dairy sector, including limited specialized training programs, insufficient access to modern dairy technologies, and challenges with milk quality in certain regions. However, the roundtable also identified numerous opportunities, such as potential for product diversification, research and innovation, and regional export markets.

Participants engaged in a robust Q&A session, focusing on how to better support farmers, enhance marketing strategies, and increase milk production efficiency. The session highlighted the need for further research and more targeted interventions to stabilize milk production and ensure the sustainability of investments in the dairy value chain.

Key Takeaways:

• Increased Collaboration: Greater cooperation between academia, industry, government, and civil society is essential for addressing challenges and seizing opportunities in the dairy sector.
• Research and Innovation: More research is needed to address specific issues such as milk quality, feed affordability, and packaging materials. Innovation should be a key focus to drive the sector forward.
• Curriculum Development: Educational institutions should work on developing specialized training programs that cater to the needs of the dairy industry, particularly in dairy processing and modern technologies.
• Infrastructure Investment: There is a pressing need for government investment in infrastructure to support stable milk production and enhance the overall dairy value chain.
• Financial Sector Engagement: There is potential for the financial sector to develop specialized financial products that cater to the needs of dairy value chain actors, thereby reducing risks and encouraging investment.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. de Boer summarized the key takeaways, emphasizing the need for increased collaboration, more research, and better curriculum development to support the dairy industry’s growth. The event concluded with a call for continued dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure the long-term success of Rwanda’s dairy value chain.

The roundtable was a key step in the ongoing efforts to strengthen Rwanda's dairy sector and is expected to lead to concrete actions that will benefit all actors in the value chain, from farmers to consumers.

Photo: IPRC Musanze

Orange Knowledge Programme
This project is part of the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) which is funded by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Nuffic. For more information click here.

MSM's Expert Centre on Emerging Economies

This institutional collaboration project is part of MSM's Expert Centre on Emerging Economies. The department is an expert centre on local economic development in emerging and developing markets.​ We capacitate managers and professionals from government, private sector, NGOs, and post-secondary education in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Latin America. We offer consultancy and customized training programs, and we manage complex projects in key sectors, e.g. water, agriculture and health. For more information click here.

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