Agro-Pastoral Dairy Chains and Prospects for Expanding Milk Processing in Tanzania: A Case of Misungwi District

A market survey was conducted in Misungwi District to explore interventions towards increased milk processing. A total of 99 producers, 34 transporters and 11 traders of milk from six villages of the district were interviewed using questionnaires. It was found that at least 24,180.7 liters of milk are marketed from farmers every day in Misungwi. Majority (61.2 %) of the milk selling households sold milk to consumers and some others (35.8 %) sold to transporters whereas few (3 %) sold to traders. Prices per liter of milk fetched by producers, transporters and traders were 854, 1,680 and 2,122 TSHs, respectively. Accessibility to electricity, roads, extension, veterinary, inputs and water services was considered at least satisfactory by 95.9 %, 78.8 %, 83.9 %, 86.1 %, 49.5 % and 50.5 % of producers, respectively in the district. Supermarket and shops found in the district were selling packaged milk at a price of 3750 TSHs per liter. All milk transporters used bicycles and considerable part (44%) of them carried milk using un-recommended plastic containers. Milk quality testing is not commonly practiced in milk trading. The major chain bottleneck observed was thus identified to be underdevelopment of milk collection and lack of industrial scale dairy processor. The main intervention that was recommended is capitalizing on progressive farmers by organizing them to form dairy cooperatives. These can be capacitated to perform vibrantly functions of milk collection and processing and also to act as pivotal points for streamlining quality control through quality testing. The cooperative can be backed by existing service providers from both public and private sectors to combat the existing challenges. Major adaptation needed is coping with the dispersed and mobility nature of the milk producers which can be achieved by establishing an extensive but highly accessible milk bulking network.