The government of Rwanda has said that it will demonstrate investment opportunities in the dairy industry during the annual African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, in an attempt to increase domestic output of dairy products.

Dr. Théogene Rutagwenda, the Director General of Rwanda Animal Resource Development Authority (RARDA) told Business Times that Rwanda’s dairy industry has various investment opportunities in the areas of milk collection and processing.

"To have all the different players discussing issues affecting the dairy value chain is a unique opportunity for Rwanda’s dairy industry,” Rutagwenda said.

The African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, which will kickoff in Kigali tomorrow, is an ideal platform for manufactures to display dairy equipments, latest technology and innovations, he said. 

The conference is organised under the theme: "African Dairy Competitive and Sustainable” and will take place from May 19 to 21. It will also bring together different industry players and policy makers to discuss issues affecting the dairy value chain.

Rutagwenda said that Rwandans will be given an opportunity to visit the exhibition and learn from experiences of other farmers and manufactures.

A platform known as the Eastern African Dairy Association (ESADA) has been started so that the different players network and share knowledge and experiences, exchange trade contacts and develop business partnership and more importantly keep abreast with the changing technology in the industry.

The conference comes at a time the government of Rwanda has promised to establish 70 milk collection centres that will boost the incomes of dairy farmers through access to market and value addition to dairy products.

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