EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA — The East Africa Dairy Development Project (EADDP) has committed itself to build two dairy plants in Rwamagana district.

This was revealed by Dr. Charles Kayumba, the Director General of Heifer International, Rwanda while addressing residents of Rwamagana at a cow-giving ceremony this week.

Flanked by Emmanuel Munyandida, the manager of EADDP, Dr Kayumba said, "Through Heifer International’s EADDP, two chilling plants with capacity to store 10,000 litres each will be built in Rwamagana.” He did not specify when the project would take off.

Munyandida disclosure however, was in response to concerns raised by area livestock farmers about the increasing milk production, coupled with inadequate market and lack of milk chillers. 

He said that one of the plants will be built in Gahengeri Sector while the other will be built in Gishari Sector. Earlier, farmers had said they sell 40 per cent of their milk due to lack of coolers and the remaining milk often gets spoilt.

"We only sell milk collected in the morning. The milk we collect at night often goes bad because we lack preservative machines,” a resident said.

Munyandida said that in addition to providing the coolers, cattle farmers will also benefit from the technical team which will sensitize the farmers on hygiene and proper milk handling.

"Our project has three main objectives. I it aims at increasing milk production through quality artificial insemination, improving milk quality, hygiene, milk handling and increasing market access for milk,” Munyandida said.

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