In a bid to help enhance Rwanda’s dairy sector, the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) has extended a grant of Rwf56 million (about US$85,000).The support came through the Usaid-backed Rwanda Dairy Competiveness Program II (RDCP II), a five-year project implemented by Land O’Lakes International Development.The grant will enable the Private Sector Federation (PSF) to meet the needs of the burgeoning sector by strengthening the Rwanda National Dairy Platform (RNDP) to effectively implement the National Dairy Sector (NDS) strategy.The strategy was recently incorporated into Rwanda’s strategic plan for agricultural transformation (PSTA II), and the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II).Hannington Namara, the PSF chief executive, said the package would help the dairy sector set a clear vision to maximise its potential."We are very grateful for the RDCP II collaboration and support; it will help create a vibrant dairy sector. This will yield higher quality, diversified dairy products; higher volumes of milk; higher revenue streams; and a wider employment base for Rwandans,” he added.

Frank O’Brien, Chief of Party of the USAID-funded Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Program II (RDCP II), noted that an independent dairy platform will serve as the voice for producers and dealers.The platform will be under the chamber of agriculture, according to Maureen Twahirwa the PSF Head of communication and marketing. Statistics from the Rwanda Agriculture Board indicate that milk production in the country increased by 11 per cent in the last two years.Production increased from 189,827 tonnes in 2007 to 257,197 tonnes in 2008,    then 442,337 tonnes in 2011 and 503,130 tonnes last year.The increase is attributed to the government-led Girinka scheme, under which thousands of households have received free cows since 2006.The National Dairy Sector Strategy was validated by the AgriculturalSector Working Group on April 23, this year.